


Cato and Clove: The Journey of a Lifetime

by authordjl



Series: Cato and Clove: The Journey of a Lifetime [1]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Mild Language, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-06-07 20:42:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 24,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6823324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/authordjl/pseuds/authordjl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a story about my idea of what happened in the 74th Hunger Games from Clove's perspective. This was not originally written in chapters so some transitions might be a little awkward. Also includes alternate ending. All characters,  settings, direct quotes, etc. are property of Lionsgate and Suzanne Collins. New chapters  posted every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Febuary 1, 59 ADD  
dear diary,

because today is my 10 birthday my present was that I could start training. Mommy finally let me in the building. I was realy good with knifes. I hope I can get picked for the Hunger Game. I can kill anyone with a knife. Even that NOBerryah that everyone loves. I can get her easy Just you wait and see  
Thank you diary  
Love, Clover


	2. Chapter 2

The required age for us to start training is twelve - the first eligible age to enter the Hunger Games - but a lot of people start early. I started at ten, but some start even sooner. By the time I was twelve, I had saved so much money for our family by going out and hunting animals for meals instead of buying them from the butcher. Of course, I had higher intentions for my skills - much higher. I was going to volunteer for the Hunger Games by the time I was eighteen, and win, and bring so much honor to my family. I could see it now: all the cheers, a luxurious house in the village, oh I couldn't wait! These were the thoughts that went through my head daily, even as a fourteen year old. Three reapings had gone by and I had never once been picked. Yeah I guess that's okay because that gives me an extra year to train and become that much more lethal. My birthday was in two months, and the next reaping in five. The bell at the Academy rings, and everyone gets up from lunch and resumes their training. I walk over to the trash can to throw away my sandwich, and then head back to the knife training. As I turn around, I bump into a large figure. I look up into the eyes of Cato. He was a year older than me and the strongest, most intimidating student in our academy. Rumor has is, he started training when he was five! He glares at me. "Watch it bitch." He sidesteps and struts away angrily.  
I return his death stare behind his back, and when I throw my knives, I throw them harder than ever. I can't help but notice that on multiple occasions, Cato was watching me throw. It made me extremely uncomfortable. I eventually made my way over to spear throwing. He still watched. That was it. I walked right up to him and, despite my tiny size, wasn't intimidated when I near-shouted, "Will you stop staring at me you creep!?" and shoved him. Cato obviously wasn't expecting that, because he stumbled back a bit.  
I left training early that day. When I got home, I grabbed my butterfly knife - my thirteenth birthday present - and took my anger out on the wildlife in my neighborhood.


	3. Chapter 3

Before I knew it, I was fifteen, and Reaping Day was upon us. Everyone from my District - District 2 - got real dressed up for this momentous occasion. This year, I wore simple cargo pants and a dark green top. I also wore my single most expensive article of clothing - a leather jacket - for good luck. It was the same routine every year: get hoaarded like sheep into the sign-in line, sign in, get hoarded again to our age group and sex. I glance around the crowd once I'm put in my spot and lock eyes with - ugh! He never stopped staring at me! In no time, District 2's escort, Iberis Rankine, was introducing herself, playing the familiar video from the Capital (War, terrible war.), and my mind wanders far from Cato. In no time, Iberis was reaching into the ladies' names. My heart beats in my chest and time seems to slow to a near stop as she walked over to the microphone and unfolded the slip of paper. She took the world's longest breath, then said, "Clove Kentwell."  
The crowd cheers for me as I make my way up to the stage, trying not to grin too largely. "Congratulations dearie," Iberis says, patting me on the back. As excited as I was, I was a little too close to her large blue afro and long pink eyelashes for my liking. Then she goes over to the boys' pool, pulls out a name, and reads it much quicker than she had the girls'. "Tiberius Battenburg." An excited twelve-year-old boy began to make his way to the stage. I'd seen this kid in training. He was pretty lethal for a twelve year old.  
Suddenly, a much larger figure stepped out from the back of the crowd and boomed, "I volunteer!" Tiberius fought back, but Cato paid no attention as he approached the stage, glancing at me every few steps.  
"What's your name dearie?"  
"Cato Hadley," he said. Although he was looking at the audience, his body was angled toward me.  
"Well, congratulations my dears," Iberis squealed. "Wll, shake hadns!" She ushered us closer to each other. Cato stuck out his hand and I tentatively shook it. Cato's gaze was focused on me, but I resisted looking at him. Luckily, the shake was over really quick, and Iberis was ushering us into the Town Hall, where family and friends were allowed to come and say goodbye. My mom and das were the only people that visited me. They were mostly proud, and I was too, but in the back of my head, I was already worrying about competing against Cato. He's the best at the Academy. I would've pereferred even Tiberius. At least I stood a chance against him.  
Iberis finally comes and ushers Cato and I to the car that brings us to the train. Even I, from the second richest District, have never seem something so luxurious. The carved wooden tables looked like they'd been polished five times, and so did the food on top of them. The chairs were covered in light blue fabric that felt like a cloud. Iberis was grinning from ear to ear. "Isn't it lovely?" she squealed. When neither of us responded, she sighed and said a little more sanely, "Well, if you go into the car in front of us, you'll find a hallway. Clove, your room iss the first door on the right. Cato, your room is one door down from hers... Um, right, uh, the train leaves n approximately five minutes, and we'll be at the capital by morning. I'll, uh, I'll go see if Brutus and Enobaria are ready to come talk." She started to leave the room, then turned around. "Help yourselves." And with that, she daintily strutted out of the room.  
I didn't eat - I wasn't that hungry, and I wasn't sure if some of this stuff was food or plastic. Cato, however, dove right into the rolls. I looked at him in disgust. When his eyes rose to meet mine, I quickyl looked away and folded my arms.

*****

Brutus and Enobaria, despite being in their late 30's, early 40's, were still very built, very attractive people. They were our mentors - previous victors. Naturally, Brutus was Cato's and Enobaria was mine. They sat across from us and started to question us.  
"So what are your strengths? Cato?" Brutus asks.  
"I can use a sword well. I've been training since I was five. I'm the best in the Academy," he gloated. Bet he's loving all this attention.  
Brutus finished writing down Cato's responses. "And how old are you now?"  
"Sixteen."  
"And how about you Clove?" Enobaria turns to me.  
"I'm good with knives," I say.  
"She's better than good!" Cato interrupts me. "First day she started training when she was ten, she hit the targets perfectly."  
I am too stunned to even remember what I was going to say.  
"Is this true?" Enobaria gasps.  
"Yeah, I guess," I say flatly, throwing Cato a sharp glare. He returned it with a smile.  
"Well," Enobaria said, "looks like we've got your basics down. Brutus and I will go and decide how to train you guys." They stood up. "You guys are a nice batch."  
"We might actually win this year," Brutus adds as they exit the car.  
After a few seconds, I turn to Cato. "Why did you volunteer?" I demand harshly.  
Cato seems slightly taken aback, but manages to keep his cool. "I couldn't let you go in with Tiberius. He's too lethal. You'd never come out alive-"  
"Wait wait wait, so let me get this straight. You didn't think that I, who's been an expert knife thrower for five years! couold take a little twelve year old, so you decide to throw yourself, the most lethal kid in the Academy!, in his place? What, do you want me dead that much that you just had to do it yourself!?" By now, I was standing over him, fists clenched, breathing heavily.  
He shakes his head in shock. "No, Clove, It's not like that. You don't understand-"  
"I think I understand all that I need to!" I tune out anything else that Cato says and storm off to my room. It's kind of hard to be angry when you're sitting on the world's most comfortable mattress, but I try and channel it by turning on the foreign television and watching the reapigns to see my allies and possible threats. District 1 was first. The girl was a sexy blonds who looked aroudn seventeen. Her name was Glimmer. The boy, Marvel, looked about eighteen. They didn't look like THAT much of a threat. When the time came, I could easily kill them both. Then, District 2's reaping. It all made sense now, why Cato always watched me in training: to find out my strengths and weaknesses, so now, he could guarantee a win. However, when I watch him strut up to the stage, there is no trace of murder in his eyes. This is too hard to watch. I quickly skip ahead to District 3. Wow, this year looks like a piece of cake. The majority of the tributes were scrawny and awkward. Except the boy from District 11. He was pretty intimidating. A girl - Katniss - volunteered for her little sister. I mean, she didn't look like much, but she was District 12's first volunteer. We've got to expect some surprises.  
I eventually fell asleep watching recaps of Enobaria's year. Man that girl was... that girl was... lethal...


	4. Chapter 4

Knock knock. Clove? Knock knock.  
I slowly open my eyes to see none other than Cato peeking through the small window on my door. "What?" I snap groggily.  
"We're here!" he grins.  
I almost jump up out of bed. The Capital! We're here! I run into the main car just in time to see us pull into the city before we enter a tunnel. We pull into a station full of screaming, freaky Capital people. However, we pull rght through it, and ten others, before finally pulling to a stop. Cato and I avoid the windows - those Capital people are truly frightening. However, that doesn't stop us from marveling at our surroundings. We are eventually escorted off of the train, on the opposite side of the crowds, and into a building where Iberis, Brutus and Enobaria leave Cato and me with our prep teams. Cato and I are separated, which is good, because they strip me down naked and wash my body at least five times before putting a blue tarp on me. They proceeded to trim my hair, pluck my eyebrows, wax my legs - by far the most pain I've ever been in. Then, they send me off to my stylist, Lartius.  
I almost vomit when he comes into the room. He's got hot pink hair, lips, lashes, and brows, which compliment his dark skin uncomfortably. "Clove." He flashes me a creepy but oddly pleasant smile, then sticks out his hand. "How do you do?"  
"Good," I answer, tentatively shaking his hand.  
"Congratulations on being reaped," he continues. "Are you excited?"  
"Yeah." I can't help but grin.  
"Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Lartius. I will be your stylist. But of course, you already know that. So, let's get right down to business: tonight at the Tribute Parade. This is your first impression to the spectators, mentors, sponsors, and most importantly, the other tributes. So, my partner, Claudria, and I came up with an idea for you and Mr. Hadley when we watched the Reaping, and now that I see you in person," he reaches out and gently strokes a lock of my hair, replacing it on my shoulder and examining it, "I think it will be an even more effective look than we expected when we first thought it up."  
As ugly as Lartuis was, his appearance was just about where the frightening aspect of him ended. He had an unusual pleasantness to him and a calming atmosphere about him. Despite his uncomfortable appearance, he seemed like a genuinely nice person, and I felt oddly comfortable around him.  
"You're District 2, which is masonry. Well, I've done masonry-themed outfits in the past, and they've never looked flattering. However, when Claudria and I first saw you and Cato, we instantly thought of warriors. Call me crazy, but you guys look llike real fighters. And the outfits we have planned will really compliment his arms and your tiny but strong stature. Want to see?"  
"Uh, sure!" I wasn't expecting to see my outfit so early - the parade was in six hours.  
But Lartius just pulls up a hologram of the outfit. It is a golden top and skirt with a gold feathered neck-and-chest plate with a matching headpiece. "I just need to take your measurements and we'll have the outfit ready in an hour." He takes out a tape measure and quickly measures around my head, chest, waist, and hips, and enters my measurements into his computer. "Okay." He sits down and looks at me, stopping to take a breath. "Is there anything you need? Any questions?" I shake my head. "Awesome, let's get you to hair and makeup."

*****

Lartius brings me to a room with two chairs and two large mirrors. One of the chairs is already occupied by Cato. Claudria, who has just as an unpleasant facade as Lartius, is washing Cato's hair. Lartius sits me down and starts to finger-comb my hair. Next thing I knew, he is spraying at least ten different products in my hair. After a while, he finally starts brushing. This goes on for about twenty minutes, but when he finishes, I see a completely different head of hair. I reach up to touch it. "Is this real!?" It is silky smooth and the perfect balance of shiny but not oily. I mean, I've always been complimented on my hair, but my hair back at home was uglier than Lartius when compared to this.  
I glance over at Cato. Claudria has finally finished washing his hair and is just starting to work in the abundance of products Lartius had just finished using on me.  
In no less than two hours, Lartius finally squeals. "Done!" he cried. My hair has been done up into - I don't even know what. I look over to Cato. His hair looks almost the same, except he looks like he tried too hard to make it messy. Wow, and just to think, this took two hours.  
Lartius immediately began on my makeup. In another three hours, I was finally allowed to look at my face again. I looked completely natural, just a little touched up, and so did Cato. Before I could even say anything, Lartius ran up to me with my costume. He pulled me aside so I could change into it - I underestimated the weight of gold - and returned me to the room with Cato and Claudria. Lartius was right - the top really did compliment Cato's arms. So big, so strong- "Okay, we've got to get you guys down to the parade center, it starts in half an hour!" Lartius cries.  
We had only a few minutes to do last-minute hair and makeup checks before we had to be in the chariot, ready to go.  
"Okay you guys," Lartius said, grinning from ear to ear. "Look tough, flaunt those muscles, make the like you... You got this." He puts his hand on my forearm. "I'll be watching." And with that, the chariots were off.  
Cato and I waved attractively to the cheering audience. This was it. They loved us. As we reached the end, the cheers grew louder. Instinctively, I turn around. The kids from twelve are on fir - literally! And they're not scared of the flame at all. And now they're holding hands. The audience is practically handing them their hats and roses.  
The chariots poll to a stop and President Snow gives his speech. Then, the chariots pull into the back lot, and the audience resumed cheering for twelve. Cato and I look at each other and his eyes said it all: 'they're dead first.' I silently agree, then, aware that there might be cameras on us, look away.  
Lartius met is in the back lot, along with Claudria, Brutus, Enobaria, and Iberis. "You guys looked amazing!" He beamed, patting me on the back.  
"A real work of art," Iberis squealed, admiring Cato and I. would love to be excited, but at this point, I am tired, and eager got tomorrow to come: training starts! I've been itching to get my hands on knives for days now!  
I look over at Cato, who is staring at something in the distance: twelve. He's looking at them like they're a meal. Both of them look scared to death as their mentor mushers them away. Good.  
Claudria and Lartius take the heavy head-pieces off of Cato and me, and then lead us to the elevator. "You guys are District two, so you're on the second floor," Iberis squeals.  
"It's not ideal, having the career districts on the lowest floors, but it makes for a shorter elevator ride down to training," Brutus butts in as we climb in.  
"Awesome!" Cato grunts. "I can't wait to get my hands on one of those Capital swords. God, they look so fucking sharp!" He pounds his fist into his open palm, causing me to jump a little bit. "What's the matter? Scared...Clover?" he sneers.  
I clench my fists. "You didn't just-"  
Ding!  
Before I could strike at Cato, the elevator door opens an I am taken aback by what I see: a luxurious dining and living room, the size of my entire house, with at east three hallways branching off.  
"Now," Iberis pipes, as if a fight was never even about to go down. "Why don't you guys clean yourselves up, shower, and we'll meet you here in thirty minutes for dinner."


	5. Chapter 5

My room was larger than anything I could've hoped for. I had a plus-size bed, larger than even our victor's-village beds, with sheets even softer than the ones on the train. In the corner of the room, there was a large wardrobe. When I opened it, I found no less than ten pajama-gowns, ten day-clothes, and ten identical training outfits. A door on the other side of the room lead to the bathroom and shower. I grabbed a pajama gown and hopped into the shower. District 2 had war, gentle shower water, but compared to this, it was like icy bullets. There were more bottles than I knew what to do with, so I stuck to shampoo and soap. When I stepped out, I wrapped myself in a towel and examined all the gadgets on the counter in front of me. The one that caught my eye was a box with a large handprint on it. I stick my hand in the designated area and a tingle is sent through my body. Next thing I knew, my dry hair fell down my dry back. I decide against putting it up, and throw on my nightgown, then go out to the dining room for dinner, where everyone had already gathered.  
"You're late," Cato says flatly.  
"No I'm not; it's only been sixteen minutes." It's true.  
The Capital food looks about as ugly as its people, but, similar to Lartius, tasted surprisingly delicious.  
I find myself digging into some fruits and vegetables, but mostly the meat. I'm not even sure what kind of meat it is, just that it's delicious.  
"So, tomorrow," Enobaria says, "you start training." Cato and I grin evilly.  
"I know everyone, especially you two, will want to go right for the weapons," Brutus says in-between bites, "but I would advise you to take at least one survival class. And they're gonna say this tomorrow, too, but in the rare case that you're bleeding or starving to death and don't have any weapons, you need to know how to live."  
I roll my eyes, and Cato grunts.  
"I know it's boring," Enobaria says, "but it really helped me and Brutus in the arena. But when you're done with that one, by all means, go for the weapons."  
"Now, you guys are Careers. Whether you're a threat or not, you have to make them believe you are. Fortunately, you two are like top in the Academy, so it should be a cinch," Brutus explains. "Some mentors tell their tributes to flaunt their skills, and learn new stuff. Well, not you. Your job is to psych them out on Day 1."  
"And that Glimmer and Marvel, they're your friends," Enobaria adds. "Even if you don't like them, you've just got to pretend, that is, until comes the time to kill them. Their mentors are telling them the exact same thing right now." She pauses and looks around, thinking. "Oh and watch out for the boy from eleven, and twelve. Usually they're little weaklings, but they actually seem like they might be tough this year."  
"Okay," I say with a mouthful of food.   
"Your main goal tomorrow:," Brutus points at me and Cato, "Psych. Them. Out. You two are already intimidating enough just to look at. Make them truly fear you. Got it?"  
"Got it." Cato and I nod.  
"All right, good night." Brutus excuses himself, and so do the rest of us.  
I could barely sleep that night. I was too excited for tomorrow. Tomorrow, something great was about to start.


	6. Chapter 6

I woke up the next morning at about 7:30 (training was 8:00-4:00), allowing me just enough time to get dressed and scarf down a quick breakfast before Brutus and Enobaria brought Cato and me down to the training center.  
"Remember what we told you last night," Brutus says, clapping Cato on the back.  
"We'll see you for supper!" Enobaria waves as Cato and I enter the center.  
"How boring do you think this speech is going to be?" Cato asks me.  
"So boring," I say halfheartedly.  
We were right. The head-trainer, Atala, told all the tributes the exact same thing we'd been told last night, except in almost twice the amount of time Brutus and Enobaria took. I look across the circle at Cato, who looks extremely bored. His eyes meet mine, and he starts to play with his tongue to pass the time. I also catch him looking at twelve like a good meal again. To amp up my personal intimidation level, I smirk at every little murder joke Atala makes, and roll my eyes at all of her survival remarks. She takes extra care in saying, "No fighting with the other tributes." After what seemed like ages, we were finally allowed to go off on our own.  
"Hey gorgeous!" Glimmer skipped up behind Cato and wrapped her hands around his arm.  
"Uh, hey!" Cato said enthusiastically. Marvel nodded at me, and I returned the favor.  
"So where are we gonna go first?" she asks.  
"Um, I was gonna go to short-distance self-defense-"  
"Awesome, let's go!" she squealed and ran off with him.  
I look at Marvel. "I guess it's just you and me, huh?" he says.   
"I guess... Where d'you want to go?" I ask.  
"Want to just go right here?" he suggests. "I think this is combat."  
"Yeah sure." We politely step in line, me in front of him - only one person between me and twelve - and fold our arms intensely.  
After only a few minutes of waiting, I hear a raised voice. "Hey, Jason! Where's my knife!?" I look to my right to see Cato approaching the boy from six. He looked angry.  
"Huh?" Jason asks, taken aback for a minute, then standing up.  
Cato gets in his face and points to the table next to them, his other hand finding its way to Jason's shoulder. "I put my knife right there."  
Jason shoves Cato off of him violently. "I didn't touch your knife!"  
"Yes you did!" Cato goes after Jason, Peacekeeprs already trying to keep him off of the helpless kid. Suddenly, there was a cacophony of "I never touched your knife"'s and "yes, you took my knife, you liar!"'s as more Peacekeeprs rushed in to pull Cato off of Jason.  
"Get off me! I was just sitting here!" Jason cries defensively as Cato is finally pulled away.  
"I shoul just finish you right now, here, huh?... Actually, better yet, I'll wait for the arena!" Cato bellows. "You're the first one I get so watch your back."

*****

"Nice job kid," Brutus says, beaming, over dinner.  
"He actually did take my knife, though," Cato said quietly but defensively.  
"But people are scared of you?"  
"Oh totally."  
"Even I was scared," I chime in.  
"Excellent. That's all I wanted to hear. Clove?" He looks at me.  
"I mean, I didn't have a fit or anything," I shoot a quick glare at Cato, who doesn't acknowledge it, "But I got the point across in combat. Even marvel was scared of me." I straighten up and puff out my chest a little. Marvel was an 18 year-old, 6'3" career, and I, a 15 year-old, 5'4" career, managed to scare him. Goal accomplished.  
"Nice. So what I want you guys to do tomorrow is when everyone - that is, most people - are survival training, Cato, I want you to pick up a sword and take your anger out on those dummies. Same for you with your knives, Clove. Then, team up with Glimmer and Marvel - don't go off separately. You'll be more intimidating if you're all together. Okay?"  
"Okay," we respond.   
Brutus wipes his mouth and excuses himself from the table. "Well, I've got to go talk to Enobaria and your stylists." And he left the table.  
I look at Cato as he devours his turkey leg, waiting for him to notice. Finally, he looks up. "What?" he snaps. I smile smugly. "What!?"  
"So, uh, you and Glimmer?"  
He hesitates. "Oh, yeah, she's really something."  
"You gotten to know her yet?"  
"Pssh, no... Okay yes but why do you care?"  
I shrug. "Dunno." I get up and head for my room before he can say anything more. There were a few moments we had shared that gave me the impression he liked me, and other times when I thought he hated me... Theory proven wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day, I went straight for the knives. After making sure Eleven and Twelve were behind me, I started throwing, piercing every single dummy in the number one target spot - the solar plexus. After no less than fifteen swift, accurate throws, I walk away, head held high. I see Glimmer practicing archery - eh, she's all right - , Marvel spear-throwing - perfect aim. Nice! - and Cato practically murdering these four dummies with a sword. If the other tributes weren't scared before, they were scared now.   
The four of us eventually ended up meeting up and immediately observing the other tributes, most of whom were trembling in their shoes. I spot the boy from twelve - Peter? - wobbling on a rope ladder, and tap Cato in just enough time for him and the others to watch Twelve fall, clutching his arm. We exaggerate our laughs, and shake our heads at him as the girl approaches. This time, we all stare at him like he's a meal - not just Cato - as she whispers something in his ear. He gets up and walks over to a stand of large metal medicine balls, picking one up. So he can't keep his balance, and she tells him to throw a heavy metal thing that I could barely lift. And they're potential threats? Okay, very funny Enobaria.  
However, he is able to swing it over his head and cleanly launch it into the spear rack twenty feet away. Glimmer, Marvel, and even I a little bit, take a step back in shock. However, Cato just folds his arms, nods, and says, "Hm, not bad."


	8. Chapter 8

Breakfast the next day took a turn. "We're going to train you two separately from now on," Brutus says out of nowhere.  
The fork nearing my mouth comes to a halt. "What?"  
"By special request of Cato," he continues. "I mean, this does usually happen at this point. You know, figure out which side of you to play up for the interviews without someone else hearing it. Same for the individual evaluations tomorrow. I mean, there only is one victor, right?"  
I don't say anything; I just look at Cato in disbelief, who excuses himself immediately.  
"You'll train with Enobaria from 10:00 - 3:00 today. And if there's time, we can start working on your interview."  
"Okay," I say, still out of it. What did he want now - Cato? First he volunteers, now he wants to train alone. I know I'm really strong, but I know ultimately, he's stronger than me. Was he plotting the best way to kill me? To lure me into a false sense of security before- 

*****

"So I think it's pretty obvious you're going to throw knives," Enobaria says. "I would advise doing the most advanced course they offer. We'll practice that in half an hour when we go down to the training center. But before that, do you have any questions?"  
I shake my head, itching to get down to the center. Each tribute has half an hour down there. Marvel is down there right now.  
"As you probably know, they rate you on a scale of one to twelve. Seeing as there's always room for improvement, I've never seen them give any one a twelve before. I saw an eleven once, and that was to someone from District 1 years and years ago. The typical Career score is 9-10. However, don't freak out about it. They're just numbers, and the Capital people are idiots. Even if you're just having a bad day, I know you'll do well when it really counts."  
"I'm not scared," I say.  
"That's the attitude! Now, why don't you get changed and we'll head on down."

*****

The most advanced combination the Center offered was a piece of cake for me. I still had twenty minutes left in the Center before my time was up, so Enobaria sat me down and talked some more. "Now, unfortunately you're only allowed to demonstrate one skill, so you can't show them your agility or hand-to-hand combat. But," she clapped my shoulder, "I'm sure you'll do fine."  
We passed Cato and Brutus on the way out. Cato locked eyes with me for a second, and I saw two things in them: ambition and murder.

*****

The rest of that day came and went and before I knew it, I was sitting on the District 2 bench next to Cato as Glimmer and Marvel were evaluated. Finally I hear a voice on the loudspeaker say, "Clove Kentwell." I am about to stand up when Cato wraps his arm around me and pats my shoulder.  
"Good luck," he grins.  
"Uh, thanks." I stand up boldly and strut to the door. I enter the Training Center, empty except for the Gamemakers' loft. I was only the third person to go, so they were still both attentive and intrigued. I walk over to the knife stand and pick up ten, my hand shaking. This wasn't good. My throw might be off! I cover it up with a malicious grin and strut over to the throwing station. When the first target lit up, I started throwing. I was extremely shaky but I still hit all the targets in the #1. When my ten were done, I approach the loft. The head gamemaker is nodding with satisfaction.  
"Excellent job, Clove," he says, dismissing me.


	9. Chapter 9

The scores were in before dinnertime. Caesar Flickerman gave a little introduction, and I fidgeted in my seat. I just wanted to know my score! Finally, he looked down at his paper and began reading. "From District One, Marvel. Score of nine. District one, Glimmer, score of nine. From District two, Cato," Cato's face appears on the screen to Caesar's right, "with a score of ten." All of the adults in the room applaud him, but I am still watching the screen. I am next. Cato sits back casually in his seat and averts his eyes back to the screen. "From District two." He seems to be talking slower than ever. "Clove." My face pops up to the left of Caesar. "With a score... of... ten."  
I relax back into my seat as everyone applauds me. Even Cato holds up his hand, and I high-five it.  
We all turn out attention back to the screen in just enough time to see the girl from five - Finch - earn a five. Ha! The boy from eleven, Thresh, got a nine. Not bad, especially for an outlying district. The girl, Rue, got a seven. I mean she was cute and all but really? A seven? I'm beginning to think that they're just pitying the little twelve-year-olds. The boy from twelve, Peeta, receives an eight. Makes sense. Yeah he was strong, but he wasn't very agile. And last, and certainly least, the girl, Katniss, receives an... eleven.  
"What the fuck?" Cato spits out his drink.  
"E-LE-VEN??" I gape. "There must be a typo." Brutus and Enobaria sit back into their seats, a hint of fear in the look they exchange.  
"What the fuck did she do to get that!?" Cato cried. "A score higher than both of us! I mean, you're tiny and really pack a punch, and I'm the biggest, most intimidating tribute!"  
I simply nod in disbelief.  
"That fuckin girl on fire," Cato mumbles to himself. "I'll get her, I'll fucking get her. She's first on my list!" By now he was shouting.   
"Cato!" Iberis whisper-yelled. "Quiet down. Where are your manners?"  
"They left with that eleven," he growled.  
"No, no, no, this is good!" Enobaria piped up> "You can use this anger as fuel in the arena. It'll make the killing that much easier."  
Cato opens his mouth to say something, then shuts it and slumps back.  
After dinner, we figured we'd start individual training for interviews. The stylists already have your measurements," Brutus says carefully. "Figure out what aspect of you guys to play up."

*****

"The interview is one of the most important nights to get sponsors - that and the tribute parade," Enobaria explains as we sit on my bed - Cato and Brutus are in his room. "This is perhaps the biggest night to get sponsors. So, after careful evaluation of you over the past few days, I think I've figured out what angle I want to play up for you."  
"Which is?" I lean forward slightly, intrigued.  
"Controversial." What? "I want you to be polite, yet stuck up. Pleasant and intimidating. I realize it's probably hard to wrap your head around this, which is why we're going to go through a series of practice questions to prepare you for this... role. Okay?"  
"M-kay."  
"All right." She pulls out a small stack of cards. "Let's begin."


	10. Chapter 10

Next thing I knew, it was evening, and Lartius was doing my hair. He had half of it in a top-bun, the other half resting on my back. Smaller buns were pinned non the side of my head. I mean, it wasn't my ideal look, but it only mattered what Capital people liked to see, and if this was it, then so be it. In a couple of hours, my makeup had been done, and Lartius put on me a floor length, strapless orange dress. There were ruffles around the whole bodice. It was beautiful. Lartius is grinning. "Excellent!" he beamed. "Excellent!" He looks me up and down a few times. "Okay, let's get you down to the Center."  
Most of the other tributes are dressed glamorously. The boys were all in suits; mostly black - Marvel's was blue. And Cato - Cato looked amazing in his leather jacket, pants, and shoes. They complimented his figure perfectly. Girls go before boys, so when I was pushed into line, I was forced to stare at Marvel's back - not Cato's. However, that did no stop me from being aware of how close he is to me - I mean, the line was packed tight together, but he was still close.  
After Caesar's introduction, Glimmer took the stage. "So Glimmer, are you prepared?"  
"Yes, Caesar, I am VERY prepared." She never took her eyes off of the audience, and never stopped smiling. Even if I closed my eyes, I could still hear her smile.  
"And, now Glimmer, you're a very attractive young lady."  
"Why thank you, Caesar!"  
"Tell me, do you have a special someone back at home?" My throat closes off as I involuntarily hold my breath.  
She pauses for a minute, thinking. "No, Ceasar, I'm afraid I don't have a special someone at home."  
"Oh, well, then, if you you go out there and win this thing, I'm sure the streets of District one will be CRAWLING with suitors, don't you?"  
"Oh, of course." The spark had started to leave her eyes, but she tried to keep smiling.  
As Caesar stood up, someone came and took Marvel backstage. "Well, lovely talking to you Glimmer."  
"Thank you Caesar."  
"Great way to start the night." He kissed her hand and held up her arm. "Glimmer!" The crowd cheered, and Caesar announced Marvel.

*****

As Caesar announced Marvel's last question, I started getting antsy as ever. I was next.  
I felt a tap on my shoulder, then felt warm air near my ear. "Good luck," Cato whispers.  
"You too," I say without thinking or turning around.  
Then, the stage manager came to take me back. I hear Caesar announce Marvel one last time, followed by an energetic "WOO!"  
"Last time you saw her, she was a warrior princess from District two. Welcome Clove Kentwell!"  
I strut up onto the stage, now fearless, and make my way to the saucer chair where I am to sit. It it quite comfortable.   
"Okay so Clove," he says.  
"Yes," I respond.  
"You're a tiny little chica. Are you really swift? Stealthy?"  
"I mean, stealth isn't my specialty, but I do think it plays a big role in what I AM best at."  
"Which is?"  
"Oh, knife-throwing."  
Caesar chuckles. "Haha, well naturally!" I laugh with him, though I'm not sure what is so funny. "That's why your size - I get it - just sneak up and BOOM!" He's cracked himself up. I follow along for the show.  
"So, Clove. You were reaped - not a volunteer. Do you think that benefits you or sets you back in any way?"  
"Personally, I don't think it really makes a difference. I've been training for years and, volunteer or not, I'm ready."  
"Excellent, good to hear. Now Clove, one final question.''  
"Yes."  
"It's about the boy from your District." What about? "He was a volunteer, am I right?"  
"Yes."  
"How do you feel about him volunteering already knowing that you were the female tribute?"  
Like he had already started plotting how to kill me. "I couldn't have been happier." If I seemed calm around a killing machine, that makes ME a threat, right? "We both know what each other are capable of. With the two of us, and Marvel and Glimmer, I think we've got this in the bag."  
Caesar grinned. "I don't doubt it for a second." He kisses my hand as we stand. He holds my arm up as the audience cheers one last time. "Clove Kentwell!"  
"Thank you," he whispers to me as I exit the stage. I reply with a nod.   
"That was so good!" Iberis squealed. "You look so pretty!"  
Before I can respond, Cato's name is announced, and we turn our heads to the viewing screen.  
"Cato, I must admit, you're even bigger in real life," Caesar says once they sit down, laughing.  
Cato lets out a chuckle, but keeps his serious facade about him.  
"Exact opposite from Clove. How is she?"  
"Oh she's great. We make a good pair. I mean, with her throwing, and my sword skills, one of us is bound to win."  
"And do you hope it's her or you?"  
"Well obviously myself." So he IS plotting to kill me.  
Caesar chuckles. "Haha, yes naturally, yes. When it comes down to survival of the fittest, one can only be concerned with his own life, I suppose."  
"Yes sir." Cato nods sincerely.  
"So, you say your weapon of choice is a sword?"  
"All the way."  
"And you volunteered for this. Tell me about that."  
"Well, I've been wanting to volunteer for some time now."  
"Naturally."  
"Yes. The kid who was reaped was lethal, but he was twelve. He doesn't understand the difference between friends and enemies. He'd kill himself if he thought it'd make him win. I couldn't let my district suffer such a disgrace."  
"So you want to honor two."  
"Yes, it's an honor representing my district."  
"And so you're a fighter?"  
"I'm prepared, vicious, ready to go." And definitely not humble.  
"Yes, well it was a pleasure talking to you," Caesar said, standing. Cato followed. Caesar grabbed his arm and lifted it up in the air. "Cato!" Cato left the stage.  
Enobaria and Iberis lead me into District two's viewing room, where the girl from three was beginning her interview. Brutus and Cato entered a minute later.   
"Nice job Cato," Iberis praised him. "You looked so handsome. Absolutely irresistible!"  
"Yeah, thanks," he said half-heartedly as he relaxed into the seat next to me, stretching his arms out on the chairs on either side of him as the boy from three stepped on stage.  
Nothing really interesting happened until Katniss took the stage. She missed Caesar's first question, making a complete fool out of herself. Then, she fails at multiple attempts to come across as witty. Cato and I were chuckling to ourselves. Then, all of a sudden she was twirling, her dress in flames. She outshone anyone who had stepped on that stage all night - literally!  
"Well fuck," Cato says as I glare at the screen, pursing my lips. "She's gonna get all the sponsors."  
"It's not fair," I complain.  
"Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire!" Caesar cried. Katniss left the stage and Peeta was announced.  
He was genuinely funny, and won the audience over immediately. It wasn't anything special though, until Caesar asked him about a special girl back at home, and how if Peeta wins, she'll have to go out with him.  
"Yeah, I'm not so sure winning's gonna help in my case."  
"And why is that?"  
He wakes a deep breath. "Because she came here with me."  
The audience gasps, their shock and sympathy resonating throughout the theatre. My jaw hangs open. "No," I say. "No!"  
Brutus and Enobaria are shaking their heads. "This is bad," Enobaria says. "He just practically won the Games for one of them."  
Cato, however, grins. "This is excellent."  
"Why?" Brutus and Enobaria ask. I demand the same question."  
"And why would we team up with him?"  
"Killing Peeta isn't the problem," Cato continues. "With the four of us combined, we can easily take him out at any time. It's Katniss we want dead. Now that he's just foolishly admitted his love for her, he's our best chance at findng her."  
I am in shock. "Cato, that's... that's genius!"  
"Indeed," Brutus adds. "There's just one problem. He's in love with her. Do you really think he'll lead four KILLING MACHINES to her?"  
"We don't have to tell him why we want her," Cato replies.  
"It's not that hard to figure out," Brutus counters quickly.  
While Cato is searching for words, an idea comes to my mind. "We can threaten his life."  
"And if he refuses?"  
"Then we kill him, and she'll come after us."  
Brutus is at a loss for a counterexample.  
"This could go three ways, and all work in our favor," I continue.   
"It's worth a try. What's there to lose? I mean, she's gotta die at some point." Cato finalizes the rough plan.  
This was great. For once, Cato and I were getting along mutually.


	11. Chapter 11

The next day, I barely have time to eat breakfast before Enobaria throws my arena uniform at me and rushes me to the elevator. "We've got to be down there in thirty minutes! Hurry up, get dressed!" I could hear the excitement in her voice.  
"Mentors'll be giving all kinds of advice. Most will say 'stay away from the Cornucopia' or 'grab supplies quickly and run'. Now, obviously you know what I'm going to tell you. You go right for the weapons. Pick off the kids who go to the Cornucopia, and grab a backpack when you're done. Make note of those who go off into the woods, but don't bother with them for the moment. They're either really smart, or just know how to listen. No, you go for them later, got it?"  
I nod.  
The elevator comes to a stop and the doors open.  
Enobaria pats me on the back. "Good luck, Clove. I'll see you later." She smiles evilly, and I return the grin as I make my way to the hovercraft.  
I am seated on the end, next to twelve. All I hear as they insert the tracker into mu arm is the sound of her breathing. She is all I smell. I lust over the idea of killing her. If only the Games started now.  
Cato is sitting across the aisle and about five seats down. I lookover at him. He is already looking at me. We lock eyes for a moment and I know immediately what is going through his head.  
'She's right there. If only'  
'If only,' I reply.  
'Only a few more minutes *wink*'  
We both look away and I try to suppress a smile. I cover it up by sneering instead.

*****

We are all separated upon unboarding the hovercraft, and a bunch of Peacekeepers lead us individually into a type of catacomb. They open a door for me and I walk in. I see three things: an open glass tube, a rack with a jacket hanging on the single hanger, and Lartius.  
"Girl, your hair is beautiful!!" he cries.  
I have made three puff balls down my ponytail. "Thanks, Lartius." I can't stop grinning. This is it.  
"Lemme get your jacket." He rushes over to the rock and pulls the maroon jacket off the hanger. Then, he skips over to me and puts it on my arms. I shimmied it up the rest of the way.  
"Thirty seconds."  
Lartius gives me a pat and says, "Make 'em proud.", grinning as I quickly walk over to the tube and step in. The next twenty-five-or-so seconds feel like ages as I stand in the open tube. I puff out large amounts of air and shake my sweaty palms to cool them, while bouncing my weight back and forth between right foot and left foot, right foot and left foot. My blood is rushing, adrenaline pumping. This was it. Twenty more seconds till I can start killing people off one by one, each one a step closer to making my District proud, to making my parents proud.  
"Ten seconds."  
To getting attention and love from the entire nation. To getting my hands on that Katniss Everdeen.  
The glass started to move and suddenly the tube was closed. The floor began to tremble, and I started to rise up, out of the room, past a layer of cement.  
It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust, but when they do, I scope the area. We are in a grass clearing in a half-circle around the Cornucopia. Surrounding the green is forest that extends who knows how far? There are plenty of little goodies far from the large horn - packs, tents, water bottles, etc. I see a couple of knives about twenty yards away. I mean, they don't look THAT great, or too abundant in number, but they would have to do until I got access to the gem of this game: the mouth of the Cornucopia. If there was a sword, or spear, or high-class knives, they were in there. I look around to locate five people: Glimmer - two pedestals to my right - , Marvel - three pedestals in from the right side - , Cato - six pedestals to Marvel's left - , Katniss - four pedestals to my left - , and Peeta - four pedestals to my right. All right, we Careers can cover some ground, and Glimmer and I can get between Katniss and Peeta - simple as that. This might actually be easier than I thought it would be.  
I was so deep in thought that I don't even notice that the countdown from sixty had started. When I look up at the top of the Cornucopia, it says thirty-two, thirty-one, thirty. I look around the area. Enobaria said to find a backpack. There's one! Ah yes, right next to the crappy Capital knives. I glance up at the clock one last time. Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen. I look back down at my pack and keep my gaze locked on it, counting the drum beats in my head. Nine, eight, seven. I get into as low of a lunge as possible on this pedestal, shifting my weight back and forth ever-so-slightly. Three, two, one.


	12. Chapter 12

As soon as I hear the gong ring, I start to run. I quickly kneel down and grab the bag, and then the knives. I pop up like a meerkat and look around, specifically for one of the twelve's. I see the back of Peeta's blonde head and black jacket running into the woods. God dammit. I stand up and review the scene, ignoring the blood-curdling screams surrounding me. I see a fair number of bodes already strewn dead in the grass. I catch a brief glace of Marvel towering over someone with his spear menacingly. Then, I set my eyes on twelve. She's kneeling by a pack, so open and vulnerable. Unfortunately, someone else saw the opportunity before me, and took it. The boy from ?seven? was charging at her with an axe. On instinct, I threw my first knife in the Hunger Games. Naturally, I struck him in the back, around the kidney area, and he fell down instantly. Katniss looked around to see who had just saved her. By the time she realized it was me, I had already let go of my next knife. It was headed straight for her face. Yes, yes, go, go! However, she held up her pack, which my knife struck. I reverted to my last option: I ran at her. She quickly got up and ran towards the forest. Enobaria's voice echoed in my head. "Don't bother with them for the moment. They're either really smart, or just know how to listen." I stop running and turn around just in time to see Cato slit a young boy's throat, and watch his afro'd head sink to the ground.   
I jog back over to the Cornucopia and enter the mouth, next to Cato, who has just gotten his hands on the largest, finest sword in the arena. He is grinning from ear to ear. He turns to me, still grinning. Fear suddenly overcomes me. No, it was too early on. Was he really this greedy to win? What about our plan!??  
But he simply says, "It's great, isn't it?" while he tosses it from hand to hand, then swings it around like he's in pretend combat.  
I start to relax, and slowly say, "Yeah, I guess so."  
He stops and holds it out to me. "It's super light-weight. You try."  
I cautiously take the sword from him, then quickly realize he is right - it's super light. "Dang," I say in awe, swinging it around. I finally bring myself to a stop and hand it back to Cato. "That is nice." To kill me with.  
"Right?" He pauses. "Hey, I saw some really nice knives over there, you should check them out."  
Sure enough, at the very end of the mouth was an array of at lease twenty small knives, and five larger ones, featuring a vest that looked like it was just my size. I picked it up. Oooh, very light-weight, and - was that what I thought it was?.... It was! Multiple pockets to hold the smaller knives. Seneca Crane, you've outdone yourself again.  
It was too good to resist, so I gave into temptation and took off my jacket.  
"I didn't realize this was a strip tease," I hear Cato say playfully.  
I turn around to see him leaning against the inside wall of the Cornucopia, arms folded, legs crossed, smirking, and looking me up and down.  
"It's not," I say, hurriedly slipping the vest on. "I was just putting this on."  
"Mm, very handy."  
"Yeah..." I grab all the knives form the metal board and am about to start putting them in my vest when I hear a loud BOOM!  
That was the cannon that marked the death of a tribute. Cato, Glimmer, Marvel and I all gather at the mouth of the horn as we count cannons. Six, seven, eight. They stop after eleven.  
"Almost halfway there!" Cato cries as Glimmer squeals and hugs his free arm. I almost vomit at the sight of it.  
"Wait, guys, what was that?" Marvel asks, pointing his spear towards the forest.  
"Those are trees," Cato says sarcastically, causing Glimmer to squeal again, and make me feel sick all over again.  
"No, seriously, it looks like someone's there."   
I lean in closer - ha! Like that would help.  
Cato starts to creep toward the bushes Marvel had motioned to. He shook Glimmer off of his arm and tightened his group in the sword. The rest of us followed about fifteen feet behind.  
When he reached the bushes, he slashed through them and pointed his sword at the throat of none other than Peeta, who had fallen back in surprise.  
"Oh, lover boy!" Cato cried, lowering his sword. "Just the person I wanted to walk to."  
Peeta just stared, most likely in shock. A small "what?" may have escaped his lips.  
"Listen, I wanna make a deal with you."  
"What the fuck is he doing?" Marvel whispers to me.  
"Shh, don't worry. He knows what he's doing," I assure him, grinning meniacally.  
Peeta looks even more shocked. "What?"  
"We want to team up with you," Cato says, almost kind of pleasantly.  
Peeta stands up defensively. "And what am I worth to you?"  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, calm down." Cato holds up his hands in defense. "We just want you to help us find - ...people."  
"I know you're after Katniss."  
Cato seems stumped for a few seconds, but then starts to talk again. "Don't you want to see her too? We could make one big massive alliance-"  
"Don't think I'm stupid. I know you want her dead!"  
Cato takes a few steps closer to Peeta, now towering over him. "Then help us find her, and we might just s[are your life." There was nothing kind in his voice now. "If we kill you now, you won't be able to do ANYTHING about her life.. Help us, and we'll share everything in the Cornucopia - we're not gonna starve - and I'll spare. your. life."  
Peeta pauses to think. My heart is beating in my chest. "Fine," he finally says.  
"Excellent." Cato claps Peeta on the back and I can hear the grin in his voice. "C'mon now lover boy, we've got the entire Cornucopia. Take your pick."


	13. Chapter 13

As Peeta carefully admires all the goods by the Cornucopia, I look through the bag I had aquired earlier. Empty water bottle. Great. Knife. As if I didn't have enough already. Matches. Excellent! And finally, a tarp. It wasn't large, but I guess it could protect three or four people from rain.  
"Hurry up lover boy!" Cato demands, slinging a backpack over his shoulder. Glimmer followed him around like a puppy dog. "I wanna start looking soon."  
"Okay." Peeta stuff his last bite of dry meat into his mouth, and shoves the rest of it into his bag. He stands up. "Okay, let's go."  
"She ran this way," I say, beckoning my friends in the direction Katniss had run when she got away. They all follow me.  
Cato catches up to me; Glimmer is not as fast as him, so she's a little farther back. "You sure?" he asks.  
I look up at him dead-seriously. "Positive."  
Cato turns around and waves his hand. "Glimmer, c'mon!" he cries. She squeals and runs up to meet him, clutching his arm firmly. Once again, I feel like vomiting at the sight.  
Cato uses his sword hand to slash through the underbrush. Peeta is behind him and Glimmer, and Marvel and I bring up the rear.  
"Did you ever notice anything?" he asks.  
"Huh?" Marvel nods toward Cato and Glimmer. "Oh, no, not really."  
"I don't really see this thing lasting." I look at Marvel curiously. "I mean, Glimmer... she can be violent, but she's still a fairy princess. She just doesn't seem right for him - especially in the Games. When the time comes, he'll rip her to shreds no problem."  
I gulp. He'll also tear me apart no problem. I'm even tinier than Glimmer.  
"Whoa, what's that?" Glimmer says from up ahead. She and Cato have stopepd, and Peeta, Marvel, and I gather around them. She was staring at a snare.  
"Some idiot probably forgot to cover their trail," Cato laughs. "Serves them right."  
"It's getting dark," Marvep says. I look around. It's true. The sun is setting rather quickly, probably the Gamemakers trying to speed things up already.  
"All right, let's camp here for the night," Cato says.  
"No!" Peeta quickly shouts back Cato eyes him angrily. "I-I mean, this is her snare. Why-why don't we keep looking for a bit? So she can't get any further away."  
Cato hesitates, and I can tell he's realizing Peeta is right. "All right, let's keep going, but not for long." He stomped through the underbrush. The rest of us followed in the same order as before.

*****

A short time later, we saw a fire in the distance. "Could it be twelve?" Marel asked excitedly.  
Peeta turns around. "No, she's not THAT stupid."  
Marvel and I both refuse to say anything, and wait for him to turn back around.  
Next thing I knew, we were in the branches right next to the fire, where an ignorant young girl with curly red hair (District eight, I think) was warming her hands. Cato steps on a branch, snapping it. She looks up quickly in fear. Cato slowly takes his sword and hands it to Glimmer, who looks at him with appreciation. They were taunting her. I loved it. Finally, Glimmer made the first cut. Then the second, then the third. The girl's shrieks echoed in the otherwise silent night.  
"Let's search her stuff," Cato says, walking over to her bag, totally disregarding the dead girl right next to it. "Shit, man, there's nothing in it!" The bag was legitimately empty.  
"We've got plenty of stuff babe, don't worry." Glimmer cuddles him...again! Babe? I think I actually did just throw up in my mouth.  
As we start to walk again, this time with me in the lead, Marvel begins to laugh. "What?" I ask.  
"Just, her face!" he cries. "And screams. Just so pathetic, I find it hilarious!" He cracks himself up.  
"Oh my god yes!" I cry. I start to laugh too.  
"Ohw now, pwease don't kiww me!" Glimmer mocks from behind us.  
Marvel and I burst out laughing, and Cato says, "Hey, that was actually a pretty good impression!"  
When Marvel and I finally calm down, we turn around to Cato and Glimmer stopped a little way back, talking. Peeta catches up to them and I can just barely hear the conversation. "Hey, lover boy, you sure she went this way?"  
"Yeah, that was her snare we found back there."  
"You'd better be." Peeta keeps walking, but Glimmer whispers something inaudible to Cato. He replies, but I couldn't hear. Once they catch up to the rest of us, he stops again. "All right, I'm getting tired, let's camp here for the night."  
"I have matches," I say, taking off my bag.  
"Excellent!" Cato beams. Marvel and Peeta are already putting dry wood together for a fire. I pull out the tiny box and hand it to Cato, who takes out a match and lights the fire.  
I surprisingly fall asleep rather easily, despite the uneven forest floor. Of course, I take my precautions, such as sleeping with a knife in my hand, tucked in close to my chest.


	14. Chapter 14

I wake to a soft rustling sound. When I sit up groggily, I see that Cato, Glimmer, and Marvel were all waking up too. Peeta, however, was wide awake, staring attentively at the bushes that had rustled.  
"What? Do you think it's her?" I ask, crawling over to sit next to him.  
He looks stunned for a minute, then responds. "I - I'm not sure. I was watching to see, but I think it was just an animal."  
"Hmm." I stand up and waltz over to the bushes. I slowly grab them and pull them apart. Not ten feet away is a rabbit. I slowly and quietly reach for a knife. I quickly fling it, and stick the rabbit in the back. I walk up to it and pick it up, its beautiful snow-white fur already contaminated with sticky red blood. I proudly carry it back to camp. "I've found breakfast!"  
"Ah, Clove, you're the best!" Cato jumps up and runs over to me, getting a little too close for my liking, and probably Glimmer's too. He gently and slowly takes the rabbit from me. He removes my knife and impales it again with a long stick. He quickly builds a rotisserie and lights another fire, finally placing the bunny-on-a-stick on top.  
"I'll rotate it," Peeta volunteers. "Katniss taught me how to properly cook meat, trust me."  
"Fine," Cato says. He barely gets the single word out before Glimmer smothers him with cuddles and... kisses? Ew! It's grosser every time. I turn around on my log and face Marvel.  
I sigh in exasperation. "So."  
"So," he replies, playing with the twigs by his feet.  
Every few moments, we look over at Peeta to make sure he's doing everything he's supposed to be doing. He is.  
I dig through my bag and find the empty water canister. "Want to go find water?" I ask.   
"Sure," he replies, standing up.  
We walk for a bit, almost forgetting about our mission to find water. "So, District one," I say. "Luxury."   
"For the Capital."  
"What do you mean?"  
"We make luxury items for the Capital, but we don't get much luxury ourselves. Our Academy doesn't even open for you until you turn twelve."  
"Ours either, but I started at ten. Cato was only-"  
"No, I mean you literally can't start until you're twelve. Start before then, and they'll publicly execute you. I've seen it."  
"Damn," I say, at a loss for all other words. Finally, I think of something stupid to say. "Uh, got any siblings?"  
"Uh, yeah, my sister, Cheine. She's nine. You?"  
I shake my head.  
"I - I haven't told this to like, anyone, but she's really proud of me. She says I'll win."  
"That's so great that she looks up to you. You COULD win, you know!"  
"Yeah, I thought so too, till I saw Cato." He took a deep breath and I could hear the tears in his voice as he continued. "She - I value her above anything else I own. I - I cried all the way to the Capital - alone, of course - because I knew I couldn't win. Not with him." We had come to a stop.  
I reach up and put my hand around his shoulder in comfort, but I'm so small that instead I have to put it around his waist/lower back. "It's okay, you know. Cato's not invincible. He's extremely threatened by Katniss - an outliar!"  
Marvel responds by putting his hand around my shoulder and sniffling a little. "Yeah, but if it's me and Cato in the final two, who do you think's gonna win?"  
"You can throw accurately from a distance. I've never seen Cato throw a sword."  
Marvel sniffles again and I see him smile as he pulls me into the biggest hug a killer has ever given me. "Make her proud. Even if you don't win, you make it as far as you can, and she'll still be proud."  
"I guess," he says.  
"Don't lose hope yet," I say. "With an attitude like that, you won't stand a chance."  
Marvel sniffles one last time as he pulls away. "Thanks, Clove. I needed that."  
"Anytime."   
We stand there in an uncomfortably awkward silence for a few moments, then my ears picked up a rather promising sound in the near distance. "Do you hear that?" I ask.  
"No, what is it?" Marvel replies.  
I grin at him. "Water." I take off, following the sound. Of course, I also make sure Marvel is following me. We eventually come to a small stream in-between an open set of rocks. The stream emptied down into a small pool. "Oh my god!" I gasp, climbing down to the bank and cupping water in my hands to drink. I also splash some on my face. Ah, so cool, so refreshing.  
"Do you think these canisters keep water cold for a long time?" Marvel asks. I can hear him tossing his canister from hand-to-hand behind me.  
Dang it! I was so immersed in the refreshing springs that I had forgotten the real reason we had come. "I hope so," I say, fetching my own. We dip our canisters in and fill them up to the brim before screwing the tops back on.  
"Should we start heading back?"  
"Yeah, let's go."

***** 

"Where the hell have you two been?" Cato demands as soon as he sees Marvel and me emerging from the forest. "You didn't tell us where you were going. You could've been killed!"  
"We wouldn't have been killed!" I snap back. "Everyone in the arena is either too weak to do damage, or smart enough to stay the fuck away!"  
"She has a point," Peeta mumbles.  
Cato looks at him, then back to Marvel and me.  
"We found water," Marvel says finally, holding up his canister.  
"You're welcome," I add in a snappy tone.  
"Thank you Marvel." Cato nods curtly.  
"Um, guys, the rabbit's done," Peeta attempts.  
I stalk over to an empty log near Peeta, still glaring at Cato. "Dick," I whisper under my breath.  
"He was really scared," Peeta says as he cuts off a piece of rabbit for me, and Marvel sits next to me. "He was so scared you would die."  
"Probably because he wants to kill me himself," I mumble as I bite into the crisp meat.  
"Who told you that?" Marvel asks.  
I shrug, looking down. "I've known all along. We've never got along well, and he was so eager to volunteer. Since the Reaping, I've had this feeling that he wanted me dead."  
"I highly doubt that's true. It seemed pretty genuine," Peeta replies, handing Marvel his breakfast. Then, he stands up to offer some to Cato and Glimmer.  
Marvel, however, just looks at me. "You never told me-"   
"I know. I just didn't want you to lose hope." I shake my head. "There's only one winner, we all know it's going to be him, so why even bother anymore?"  
"Hey, hey, hey." He puts his arm around my shoulder. "I'm gonna tell you exactly what you told me. You can throw. Cato can't Things never turn out the way you'd expect them to. Don't you dare lose hope." He gives my shoulder a squeeze. I nod in agreement. "This is not the Clove I know. The Clove I know can snap your neck in six different ways... Be THAT Clove." I nod again.


	15. Chapter 15

That second day was pretty uneventful after breakfast. We rationed, and saved half of the rabbit. Cato and I haven't talked, let alone made up.  
A couple of hours after what would normally be considered lunchtime, Cato stands up. "Yo, Marvel!"  
"Yeah!"  
"Where, uh, where'd you get this water?"  
"Oh, there's a river nearby," he says, pointing in the general direction.  
"Awesome, let's go. Bring your stuff." He swings his pack over his shoulders, grabs his sword, and without another word starts to walk away, not checking to see if any of us followed.... of course, we all did.

***** 

"Right there." Marvel points to where the trees open up into the clearing.  
Cato, with Glimmer at his side, trots down the rock. We didn't get very far before Marvel pointed again and said, "Oh look, there she is, there she is!"  
Sure enough, Katniss Everdeen, the idiot on fire, was bathing in the small pond that the stream emptied into not one hundred feet away.  
Cato instantly picked up his pace and started to whoop and holler. The rest of us, of course, followed.  
Naturally, Katniss had reflexes of her own. She quickly god up and out of the lake and ran into the forest. We followed, whooping and cheering the whole way. Next thing I knew, we had cornered her by a tree and she was climbing up it wicked fast. Okay, but, she couldn't get down without avoiding us.  
"Yeah we got her!" Glimmer cried.  
"Haha way to go Girl on fire!" Cato crooned.  
"That's not gonna help you up there Katniss!" Glimmer continued as Cato approaches the tree and starts to climb.   
This is it. She's cornered. Glimmer, Marvel, and I shout encouraging phrases at Cato as he reaches up one hand after another.  
Then, he loses his grip and his left hand falls to his side. I look up. Katniss is already at least fifteen feet higher up than Cato, settled on a branch.  
"Kill her Cato!" I scream out of nowhere. "Just get her Cato!"  
"Kill her now!" Glimmer contributes.   
"I'm coming for you!" Cato growls, continuing to climb. However, a few steps higher, he grabbed a branch too weak to hold his weight. It snapped, and he tumbled back to the ground.  
"Ugh, I'll do it myself," Glimmer complains, stringing her bow. She aims and releases. It missed Katniss but only because she dodged it just in time.  
By now, Cato was back on his feet. "Gimme that." He snatches an arrow and the bow, and shoots. I look at Marvel and raise my eyebrows. 'see what I mean?' He responds with a little lip-curl. 'I guess.'  
"Maybe you should throw the sword!" Katniss quips.  
Cato looks like he is honestly considering it, but Peeta butts in before he can do anything.  
"Look, why don't we just wait her out?" We all look at him, surprised that he's actually helping us kill his girl on fire. "I mean, she'd gotta come down at some point. It's either that or starve to death." I mean, he had a point.  
I glare over at Cato, who appears to be thinking hard. "Okay," he says finally. "Somebody make a fire." He walks away with Glimmer without saying another word. I take this as my cue to pull out my matches, build a small pile of dry sticks and branches, and light our fire.  
As usual, Glimmer was infatuated over Cato. She sat uncomfortably close and giggled at everything he did. He stuck the tip of his sword in the fire and then pulled it out and spat on it. "Hahaa! Boys." She shook her head.  
I shoot a glance at Marvel, who groans quietly. I reply with a deep breath.  
Suddenly, I hear a tiny rustle by my feet. I look down to see a small lizard. I reach for my vest and pull out a small knife. I hurl it at the lizard. It nails it right in the spine, but it still twitched with some life. So I reach for another knife and stick it again. This time, its life ends immediately.  
No more lizards showed up after that. I finally decide I should get some sleep, and hop down off my log and onto the ground. Before I curl up for the night, I grab one of my larger knives and hold it close to me. You know, just in case.


	16. Chapter 16

I hear a crash somewhere near me, but I think nothing of it. But then I hear screaming and I open my eyes quickly. Before my eyes had even adjusted to the light, I felt sharp stinging all over my body. My reflexes kick in and I spasmodically stand up, unsuccessfully batting away the pain with my jacket and my free hand. I see people running and hear screaming. One of the screams is far behind. Despite my vision going blurry, I could still vaguely distinguish that the one who was left behind was Glimmer. As Cato, Marvel, and I ran, the stings became less frequent and further in-between. They must've all gone back to Glimmer. However, the decrease in stings does not minimize the searing pain all over my arms and chest. All of a sudden, I can no longer see Cato and Marvel. I see three of each of them as we all run towards a ditch. When the seven of us finally run into the ditch, I am engulfed by wetness. My legs keep running, but my surroundings don't comply. First it was my knees that were being dragged down by this wet weight in the ditch. Then, it went to my waist. I kept running, but the weight kept pulling. It quickly reached my shoulders. I breathe heavily as I try to keep running. I can't even tell if my feet are on the ground. Am I floating? My entire body is engulfed. Yes. I am floating. I am floating in a sea of weights. I am breathing the weight. I am the weight. No, the weight is greater than me, stronger. It is overcoming me. Filling me up. Dragging my eyelids closed until all I can see, hear, breathe, feel, is black.

***** 

Something is on me. On top of me. On my mouth. It quickly pulls away and presses down on my chest, forcing a shit-ton of fluid up. Naturally, I cough.  
"Clove!" someone cries. It is Cato. I am allowed to slowly adjust to my surroundings without any pain this time. I am laying down and sopping wet. Cato is on top of me. I can feel the weight on my waist where he is sitting. His hands lay motionless on my chest, as he no longer has any need to apply compression. "Clove, I was so worried!" He tries to gently but excitedly wrap his arms around me. He quickly climbs off of me and helps me to sit up, still holding onto my shoulder. I am sitting in a strangely familiar clearing, on the edge of a lake. "You had us so worried!" He embraces me again.  
"What happened?" I ask, flinching slightly at the sound of my hoarse voice.  
"You almost drowned in the lake."  
"It doesn't hurt." I look at the small lumps on my arms.  
"I think they were tracker jackers. I remember learning about them briefly back home. Good thing we found water. That's one of the best things for a fresh wound."  
There is silence for a minute. Then, I think of something. "Where's Glimmer?"  
Cato sighs and looks at me gravely. "She's dead."  
"Oh, well, I'm sorry," I say, helping myself stand up.  
"Why?" Cato asks, standing up himself.  
"I'm sorry for your loss," I say. "I know how much you loved her." No reply. "Where's Marvel?"  
"Over there by the Cornucopia. But Clove - "  
I walk away without saying another word to Cato. I'm not entirely sure why.  
After a few paces I realize why the clearing is so familiar. It is the same place where this whole thing all started. Sure enough, I see Marvel patrolling around the Cornucopia. When he turns around, a huge grin spreads on his face.  
"Clove!" He ran over to me and gave me a huge hug. "We thought you drowned! Cato pulled you out, but he made me come patrol over here. Oh I was so worried!" We just stand there for a minute, locked in each others' embrace.  
"Marvel!" I hear Cato boom from the lake.  
Marvel lets go of me. "What's up?"  
Cato is closer now. "Do, uh, d'ya mind hunting a bit? We're out of food."  
"Yeah, sure." He grabs his spear from the Cornucopia wall. "Clove, wanna come?"  
"Sure," I reply, shooting Cato a glance.  
"Perfect." He claps his hands and rubbed them together eagerly. "I've, uh, I need to go do something." He turns around and runs into the woods.  
Marvel and I exchange a glance. After a minute, he finally speaks. "So, you wanna go hunt?"  
"Yeah sure." We head toward the trees.   
"What do you think Cato went to go do?" Marvel asks.  
"I don't know," I reply honestly, shaking my head. "...and quite honestly, I don't care."  
"Why?" He slashes through the trees.  
"I've stopped caring about what goes on in that tiny brain of his. Personally, I'm still convinced he's going to kill me. But then what doesn't make sense is why he saved me. Not to mention, right after that he tried to tell me he didn't love Glimmer. I mean, you saw them together. You saw how he kissed her."  
"Clove," you sound a little jealous."  
"No," I say. "No, I'm not jealous of her. I don't want him like that."  
"Okay, but it just seemed like - "  
"So now the whole world's gonna think I'm in love with Cato. Great."  
Marvel doesn't respond.  
"Hey, look," he finally whispers, pointing into the distance with his spear.  
There is a mama bunny - even bigger than the one I had killed a few days ago. She was with her two babies.  
"I'll get the mom, you get the babies," Marvel says. I nod. We creep towards the beautiful creatures as quietly as possible. I pull out two small knives and Marvel readies his spear. As we are about to throw, a branch cracks nearby. We turn toward the sound, weapons still at the ready.  
"Shh," Marvel beckons me forward. He pushes aside some branches and even from behind, I can see the grin spread on his face. Without looking away, he motions for me to come look. I walk up to his side to see the boy from either nine or ten sitting and tending to an injured foot. I look at Marvel, returning his deadly smile. All of a sudden, he emerges through the branches, and I stay hidden.  
"Well, well, well," he says in a slow, taunting manner as he approaches the boy. "Look what we've got here." He chuckles evilly, twisting his spear in his hands, his eyes continually shifting their gaze from the weapon, down to the boy, and back to the sharp tip.  
"I'm not scared of you," he says. I can tell he really is scared (who wouldn't be?) and is just trying to hold his ground.  
"Well, you should be," Marvel replies nastily.  
"Where's the rest of your little pack, huh? Where are they?" the boy responds without missing a beat.  
"That doesn't matter," Marvel says, slowly getting closer to the boy. I take this as my cue to take a few paces back and walk a half circle, so I am now behind the boy. "The two of us can kill you just fine on our own," Marvel sneered, now inches from the boy's face. I quietly pull out one of my larger knives.  
"In case you haven't noticed, you're the only one here. Where's your little friends when you need 'em?"  
The realization dawns upon him as Marvel slowly straightens up and looks at me. Before the boy can say another word, I plunge my knife into his back. I lean in close and whisper, "Think again." He coughs and a little blood comes up. I look at Marvel. "He's a goner."  
"Come on, let's go catch those bunnies!" He walked back to where the mama and baby rabbits were still resting, almost with a skip in his step. We had just killed our dinner when a cannon goes off. Marvel and I high-five.


	17. Chapter 17

"I heard a cannon," Cato says, bounding up to meet Marvel and me as we enter back into the clearing. "You guys okay?"  
"Yeah, we actually just killed the boy from ten," I say harshly.  
"SHE killed the boy from ten," Marvel praised me in a slightly softer tone than I had used.  
I suppress a laugh and nudge Marvel in the side. "I wouldn't have been able to do it if you hadn't distracted him."  
Marvel is about to reply when Cato butts in. "Yeah, yeah that's great and all but did you get food?" I hold out the mama rabbit I was holding in one hand and the two babies in the other. "Excellent. We'll cook the little one tonight."  
I glance over to the Cornucopia and see another tribute out in the open by the pedestals. I drop the rabbits and pull out my knife, shaking my head. "So stupid." I have taken no more than three steps when Cato sticks his own arm out in front of me.  
"Stop. He's with us."  
"Since when!?"  
"Since about fifteen minutes ago." I stand there, cross, urging him to continue. "Okay, so I went to go find Lover Boy, because he wasn't with us. But I found him helping Katniss, so I stabbed him in the leg. He should be dead any minute now. Anyway, on the way back, I found that kid. He's from three, so he knows a shit-ton about mines. Such as the ones around the pedestals. I agreed to spare his life as long as he helps us rebury the mines around the tower of our supplies that we are going to build right now. That way, no one can get our stuff."  
"Genius!" Marvel beamed.  
I still stood there with my arms crossed. "Are you REALLY gonna spare his life Cato?" I ask in mom-like tone.  
"Psh, no," he laughs. "I'll kill him as soon as we don't need him anymore." I don't argue, so he takes that as my approval. "All right, let's get everything from the Cornucopia and make a big pile. Hmm...let's see...there. If either of you find a tent or a tarp, save it. All right, let's go."

*****

We start off by using the largest, heaviest crates as the base rows of our tower - a pyramid. Of course, since I'm the smallest and most nimble, I'm the one who has to climb on top of the structure as Cato and Marvel hand me crate after crate. Finally, when all the materials had been piled up (I added my finishing touch - a bag of apples hanging on the side), I find myself thirty feet in the air.  
"Jump!" Cato calls, extending his arms out to catch me.  
"I can get down myself," I protest. I climb down a couple rows, then jump the rest of the distance.  
"I've got a tarp, some poles and a string," Marvel says, holding up the materials.  
"Excellent," Cato says. "Hey you!" he shouts. The boy from three looks up. "You almost done!?"  
He wipes his forehead. "Yeah, I'm on my last one."  
"Well hurry up! I want 'em all planted by sundown!" He looks to me and Marvel. "All right, now about this tent."

*****

In no less than an hour, Cato, Marvel, and I had built a luxurious roof with logs and a fire pit. Well, as luxurious as you can get in an arena with nothing more than some poles, some string, and a piece of fabric. The boy from three, however, was still carefully planting mines. The sun was starting to set.  
"Hey, I thought I told you to hurry up!" Cato shouted.  
The boy stopped in his tracks. "Planting mines is a very slow, careful process. One wrong move and I, along with your supplies, would be gone. And you guys would be blasted deaf at least."  
Cato opens his mouth, but no words come out. The boy turns around and continues working.  
I pull out my matches and light up the fire pit. Marvel skewers one of the baby rabbits and starts roasting it.  
"Damn him," Cato says, violently stabbing the ground with his sword. "Damn him and those mines."  
Marvel and I exchange a glance and decide not to say anything - to just let this one ride itself out.


	18. Chapter 18

The next two days were quite honestly uneventful. We mostly just sat on separate logs, poking sticks at the still-hot embers of our nightly fires. There was the occasional trip to the lake to refill the water jugs, and we tried to tend to the tracker jacker stings. They weren't getting worse, but they weren't necessarily better either. There were also no cannons after the boy from ten. There were still fifteen of us dead. There were still nine of us left. The audiences must be getting bored. We need to spice things up a little.  
As if on command, Marvel jumps up. "Hey, hey, guys, look at that." He points with his spear at the woods. A thick cloud of smoke rose above the treetops. I smirk. How stupid could you get?  
Cato jumps up too, and I follow. "Okay, let's go." The boy from three starts to stand, but Cato holds out his hand. "You stay here and keep guard till we get back. At that, the three of us run towards the woods, eager for some action. 

*****

Nothing. There was nothing. Nothing but a huge roasting pile of leaves.  
"It was a fucking rouge!" Cato cried, throwing a non-burning stick into the flame. "Let's check the area. There may be someone hiding - "  
"Cato, it's no use. Let's just - "  
BOOM!  
All of us stop where we are, frozen. That is not the sound of a cannon. That was a land mine.  
"Our stuff!" Cato roared, charging back the way we came. Marvel and I followed.  
My heart sank as we break into the clearing. Every single land mine has gone off. All of our stuff had been blown to bits. And no cannon or any sign of a dead tribute. How was this possible?  
Cato finds the boy from District three, confused and scared, scoping the area. "What the hell happened?" He boomed.  
"I - I don't know, I - "  
But Cato didn't want to hear it. He threw the spear from the boy's hand and grabbed his neck, snapping it instantly. A cannon sounded as the boy fell. Cato breathes the rest of his rage angrily.  
"Wait, did you see that?" Marvel asks.  
"What?" Cato demands.  
"Someone's running into the woods. It looks like the girl from eleven." He grabs his spear. "I'm going after her."  
"I'll come with you," I step forward.  
"She's a twelve year old girl who can throw rocks. I'm a seventeen year old with a spear. I've got this." He runs into the woods.  
This was my first time ever being alone with Cato. I had no idea what to do. I was already scared out of my mind of him when he was calm, let alone on a rage.  
"Hey, uh," I say timidly, tapping him on the shoulder. "D'ya, wanna maybe rebuild our roof and cook another rabbit? Y'know, while we wait for Marvel to come back."  
I expect him to snap at me, but instead he just takes a deep breath and turns around. "Yeah. Yeah, let's go."  
We gathered up all we could find in the rubble, which was really only the components of the tent and the water jugs. This time, we built our slightly smaller shelter a couple meters into the woods, in a clearing just small enough to set up our stuff. Luckily, we still had our packs and the mama rabbit.  
We are almost done building when a cannon goes off. Cato and I look at each other and grin. "He got her," I say.  
"Sixteen down, seven to go," he responds, securing the last pole in place.  
"Do you think it was really eleven?" I ask.  
"What do you mean?" he asks, now having moved to adjusting the foliage around us to help conceal our shelter.  
"I mean," I go over and help him, "do you think it was really the girl from eleven? Or do you think it was Katniss?"  
He looks down at me and a slight grin spreads across his face as his tongue dances lightly on his lips. I return the favor.

***** 

As soon as we are done and settled by the fire, another cannon goes off.  
"Cato, you don't think that was-?" The thought of Marvel being dead made me shudder.  
"No," Cato said, shaking his head but not taking his eyes off of the mama-rabbit-rotisserie. "He probably got lost." I nod. "Hey, good job on the rabbits. They were really good. I should hunt the babies more often." He laughs, and I chuckle too.  
"Cato," I say seriously, looking up into his blue eyes sparkling in the fire. "Why did you volunteer?"  
"Clove." He takes the now-done mama rabbit off the flame and sets it down to cool, turning to face me. "I already told you that." I know. I just want to hear you say it again. For real this time. "I couldn't let you in here with Tiberius. He's too lethal. You'd never come out alive."  
I remember him telling me the exact same words on the train. How disgusted I was. "So are you," I say.   
"Yes, but there's a difference. I've been trained to kill. I know who my prey is and who my friends are. Like I've said, Tiberius would kill everyone in a heartbeat. You don't see me killing Marvel or Glimmer do you? You don't see me killing you."  
"No, I guess not." Was it really true? Was he not really out to kill me?  
"I care too much about you Clove."  
"How can you say that? You've been a dick to me since the first day I met you." Cato just stares at me in disbelief, a hint of hurt in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just - "  
"It's okay. I have been a dick, and I am truly sorry about that. It's just this thing guys do when they - " he paused and took a deep breath. " - when they like a girl."  
I am at a loss for words. I am in complete shock.  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He puts his head down and throws some twigs into the fire.  
"It's okay," I say without thinking. He looks up at me and I realize I have no clue what to say next. "Uh... Tell me more."  
"I - I meant everything I said about you. In my interview."   
"Even the part when you said you'd rather win than me?"  
"Okay, not EVERYTHING. But most of it. You're brilliant. I've thought so since the first day I saw you in the Academy."  
"And what about Glimmer?"  
"What, you think I actually liked her!?" I shrug. "It was an act! To keep her and Marvel from betraying us, to get sponsors... That didn't happen. Trust me, her giggling had been getting on my nerves since, like, day two."  
"Me too." We share a laugh.  
"But," he looks at me seriously, "that's why I got so concerned when you went off with Marvel. I wasn't sure if - "  
"No. No, god no. We're just friends who enjoy each other's company," I assure him honestly.  
"Well whatever you had, it was definitely something. You would always come back laughing with each other. I'll admit it, I got jealous. I would wish it was me in Marvel's place I knew there was no chance, though. Especially with Glimmer on my back."  
"Not to mention I was so scared to death you wanted to murder me." We chuckle.  
The Capital anthem begins to play. We look up at the sky and I realize it has become dark. Marvel's still not back. He's lost, I tell myself. He's lost. The Capital symbol blazes into the sky. It fades away and into the face of the first fallen tribute. I read the banner, expecting it to say District three. Except there's one problem. It says District one.  
My heart skips a beat as I stare at Marvel's face in the sky. I choke on a tear and sniffle.  
"Shh, it's okay." Cato reaches out an arm and I scoot close to him, burying my hand in his shoulder to somewhat mask the tears. He puts his closest arm around my shoulder and gently rubs my upper back. "Three and eleven," he says. "He did get her." I sniffle and nod. "Shh sh sh." He rubs me some more. "It'll be okay. It was almost inevitable."  
I want to go off on him, but I realize it's true. Death is inevitable for twenty-three of us. And to think, he was worried about Cato killing him... and a little girl got him! It was sick.  
"Here." He reaches for one of the water jugs. "Drink this." I take it and take a big gulp as he reaches for the mama rabbit and his knife. He cuts out a little chunk, skins it, and hands it to me. I eat it, only now remembering how hungry I was.  
Before I knew it, I was calmed down and Marvel seemed to be just a memory.  
Cato stretched out and laid down on the hard ground, patting the leaves next to him. I thought that spot was only for Glimmer, I chuckle to myself. I climb down next to him and lay my head on his chest. "What are we gonna do?" I ask. He doesn't respond. "I mean, even if we make it to the final two, one of us will have to kill the other."  
"We'll figure something out," he says. "Cuz I'm not about to let that happen."  
I snuggle in a little closer to Cato, feeling more secure than I ever had in this arena.


	19. Chapter 19

The next morning was pretty plain. We woke up, reheated a bit of mama rabbit for breakfast, and were about to hunting for another rabbit when someone started to speak.  
"Attention, tributes, attention. There has been a slight rule change. The rule regarding a single victor has been... suspended." Cato and I stop in our tracks to listen. "From now on, two victors may be crowned, so long as they originate from the same District. This will be the only announcement."  
Without thinking, Cato and I drop our weapons and turn to each other, pulling each other into an even bigger embrace than Marvel had ever given me. However, I'm much too short and he's much too tall for us to hug comfortably, so he lifts me off of my feet. I wrap my legs around his waist for support, and we just stay there for a few moments.  
Cato pulls away a little too soon for my liking, but before my brain could even register that I was upset, his mouth was on mine. I feel my cheeks flush hot red, but can't resist kissing him back. It made me feel... at home.  
After what seemed like a lifetime, Cato puts me down and straightens himself up. "Well, uh."  
"Yeah."  
We both stand there in awkward silence, but then I see something small rustle in the bushes. "Look, a rabbit." I point. We follow it through the bushes until I finally lay eyes on it. This one was brown, and a little smaller than the mama rabbit, but there were less mouths to feed now. I slowly slide out a small knife and skewer it from ten feet away.  
"Nice shot." Cato pats my back. I smile and go to pick up our dinner. Suddenly, a twinge of sadness strikes me. This was my first time hunting without Marvel. And I would never hunt with him again. "You okay?" Cato asks.  
"Yeah." I shake it off and pick up the rabbit, plucking my knife out of its flank. "Dinner."  
"Looks tasty." He licks his lips and looks from the rabbit to me.

*****

"You know," I say, back at camp, "we could go home. And pretend like all of this never happened."  
"What makes you say that?"  
"Huh?"   
"A week ago, you were so excited to bring honor to Two. What happened to that?"  
"You mean to tell me that being in here hasn't changed your perspective on any of this?"  
"Of course it has. But that doesn't make me want to make Two proud any less. Think about it. If we both go home, it's double the glory. Why would you want to forget that?"  
"I guess not," I say.


	20. Chapter 20

That night, after our lovely rabbit dinner, Cato reaches for a water container. "Ah shit it's empty," he says, tipping it upside down and tapping the bottom. Nothing came out.  
"It's okay," I say, grabbing my own empty bottle. "We can just go fill them up." We both stand and head for the lake. We each unscrew our caps and dip the bottles into the cool water.  
"It's nice, isn't it?" Cato asks.  
"Yeah," I respond, taking my hand out and screwing the top back on.  
"You know," Cato continues. "It's been what? Six days in a hot jungle without any cleansing? I feel filthy." I look at him and see that he has taken off his jacket. He is now reaching for his shirt.  
"What are you doing?"  
He stops. "Well I don't know about you, but I had baths more often than this at home! Not to mention I felt so clean in the Capital a week ago. It just feels bad, ya know?" He pulls off his shirt.  
I have seen Cato's arms, but that's about where it ends. I lay eyes for the first time on his muscular chest, his perfectly chiseled abs. Only one word comes to mind, and it comes in a whisper. "Damn."  
"Huh?" Cato looks up from undoing his belt. I say nothing. "You know, you don't have to get naked," he says as he strips down to his boxers, "it's just slightly uncomfortable when every single piece of clothing you've got is soaking wet."  
I sign, and take off my jacket as he conceals his clothes and water in a nearby bush. By the time I am down to my bra and panties, Cato is on a rock and just past the bush, where I conceal my clothes too.  
"Happy Hunger Games!" he shouts. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" He cannonballs into the lake. I run up to the rock and stare down into the water as Cato's head surfaces. "Come on in!" he smiles as he treads. "The water's fine!"  
I chuckle and mimic Cato's jump as best as I can. The cool water hits my whole body, and this time, I am able to stay afloat.  
"Feels nice, doesn't it?" Cato grins.  
"Amazing," I reply, returning his smile.  
"You know, back in two, I used to go for illegal swims all the time."  
"Really?" I say, intrigued.  
"Yeah. Relaxes the muscles." I notice him slowly swimming closer to me. "And now, I get to share that with you."  
He wraps his arms around me and starts to kiss me. I kiss back. Warmth rushes through me despite the cold water as Cato pulls me closer. I feel my stick-thin body against his large torso.  
After what seems like ages of making out, we pull away and just tread water, laughing like two teenagers. Two... normal... teenagers.  
We climb out of the lake and I wait on the shore as Cato dives into the bush for our clothes.  
"See," he says, handing me my jacket, shirt, and pants. "Aren't ya glad ya didn't do that with all this crap weighing ya down?"  
"Yeah, that would - " I take my clothes and weight them in my hands. I never realized how heavy they really were. "Wow." I finally get over my fascination and slip on my shirt, then my jacket, then my pants. Cato copies, and then we casually head back to camp as if nothing had just happened.  
Luckily, but not surprisingly, everything had been left exactly as it had been when we left.  
"Ah look. Nice and toasty warm," Cato says, stretching out by the fire.  
This time, I don't wait for an invite to lay down next to him in such a position that his bicep was underneath my neck.  
"D'ya ever go stargazing back at home?" he asks.  
"No, I'd be breaking curfew," I reply honestly.  
He turns his head to me and grins. "Exactly. You know, as tough as you are, you're not that much of a rebel. You've gotta put yourself out there more. Break the rules."  
"Yeah," I scoff, "and get executed." I suddenly remember what Marvel told me about training in District one.  
"But that's the fun in it!" he cries, and I can hear a genuine smile creeping onto his face. He looks at me. "It's an adrenaline rush. Going out, breaking the rules, escaping authority. Ugh, there's nothing better!" He stares back up at the sky.  
I do not reply. It's not that I'm thinking, or being stubborn. I just don't have anything to say.  
"...kinda like our late night swim," he teases me, nudging me with his free hand.  
"It wasn't illegal though," I say.  
"No, but it would be anywhere else on this goddamn planet!" He pauses. "These games are really the only place you're free. There's no curfew, you can go anywhere you want, kill without punishment. And say anything you want... You know what? Fuck the capital! And fuck you President Snow!" He crescendos a little louder than preferred.  
"I just want to go home," I say finally. "You and me, we can win this. There's only four people left, minus us. Then we can go home, be honored. Get a house in the village with furniture like the Capital. All the riches we can imagine... Mentoring next year's tributes! Watch the little babies all grow up."  
"Yeah, I have to admit, I'm kinda homesick. I miss the Academy. I can just kill things left and right."  
"I know. It's pretty nice." I realize I've been tensed up, and let myself relax into his arm.  
The Capital anthem did not sound tonight. That meant there had been no more deaths. I figured I would wait until tomorrow to ask Cato what our plan was for the rest of the Games. All that was left was eleven, five, and twelve. We could do this. I know we can.


	21. Chapter 21

Morning came rather quickly - or maybe I just slept so well for once. I woke up to the same tight embrace of Cato's large arms. Not wanting to get up, I snuggle in a little closer. A branch snaps nearby, and I shoot up.  
"What is it?" Cato asks groggily.  
"I heard something over there," I point to the bushes to the east, I think. "Do you think someone might be over there?" I know I'm not scared, but for some reason, my voice still trembled.  
"Welp, let's go check." He slowly sits himself up and grabs his sword from next to him. I mimic his actions by grabbing my knife.  
We don't creep, like any logical person would do - because everyone's scared of us - over to the bushes, but walk normally. Once we reach the bushes, Cato slashes through the branches until we reach a large, vaguely familiar clearing.  
"We're back where we started," Cato complained, pointing at the Cornucopia in the near distance. "Come on, let's go back."  
We quickly make our way back to camp and put the second half of the rabbit on the fire.   
"So, what's our plan?" I ask as the lovely white hide slowly turns a golden-brown color.  
"I don't think we should stray too far from ere, because then we lose the home advantage. You know, if we know exactly where the tributes are, that's one thing, but wandering around with no clue puts even us at a risk.  
"They're bound to push us together at some point," I point out. "There's no action."  
"It's gonna be hella boring till then." He pokes around at the dirt.  
"Yeah, I've been itching to kill something other than rabbits for days," I say.  
Cato picks up his sword and prods the ground with it, each poke becoming more and more violent until he was brutally murdering the soil.  
I, however, turn back and tend to the fire, hoping my blood-lust will be satisfied by the smell of the rabbit's roasting flesh. Surprisingly, it did.

*****

Cato and I have just finished our meal and are settling down for the night when someone starts to speak.  
"Attention tributes, attention. There will be a feast at the Cornucopia at dawn. Each of you needs something. Desperately. And we plan to be... generous hosts. Good night."  
Once again, the Capital anthem does not play. "Ugh, how is Peeta not fucking dead yet!?" Cato cries.  
"He's probably on the verge of dying. They're probably giving them medicine or something."  
"So Katniss is gonna go get it," Cato concludes. "Perfect!" He grins evilly, then looks up and talks to the sky. "You know, I hate you, but sometimes I love you."  
"Let me have her," I say.  
He looks at m, his brow wrinkled. "What?"  
"Let me have her."  
"Clove - "  
"Think about it. If tributes see me out there, they won't be as intimidated. You're bigger and much more frightening. It would come as a shock for them to get sneak-attacked by YOU. Plus, if I kill her, then he won't get the medicine, and will die from the cut YOU gave him. We'd be even." I fold my arms and rest my case.  
Cato hesitates. "I don't know. I mean - "  
"I'll give the audience a good show," I interrupt him. "With those." I nudge my head towards the vest full of knives that I had taken off because of the weight.  
He sighs. "All right. I'll patrol the ares for the other tributes, I guess."  
"Thank you love," I say, leaning in and kissing his cheek. Cato reaches for my neck and cups it, just looking at me with the deepest warmth and desire I had ever seen from anyone, let alone Cato Hadley. What was once a piercing blue had a new soft tone, a welcoming feeling. A hint of angry passion flashes through his eyes, and he pulls me in close.  
This kiss felt... different. The first two seemed full of love for each other, and longing to go home. Don't get me wrong, this one had all that too, but it was almost completely masked by a murderous desire - from both of us. Now that I finally knew that Cato wasn't dead-set on slaughtering me, I had not only accepted, but learned to love his violent, rebellious side.  
I lay down as he moves to my neck, and stare up at the sky for some lengthy amount of time. After a while, he grabs my waist and leans in close. "I love you," he whispers. We snuggle in close together and let the night take over.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning, I awake before the sun is even up. I am in the same position I fell asleep in - with Cato right behind me.  
"Today's the big day!" Cato whisper-cries. "We could win this whole thing. It could be over in an hour."  
"Extreme manslaughter," I whisper. It's so quiet right now that I can hear Cato grin.  
"You got it baby." He kisses the back of my head, and then rolls onto his back, stretching out. "It's dawn."  
I sit up. "It's time."  
I reach over and grab my vest, making sure that each pocket is full with every variety of blade. I wriggle out of my jacket and slip it on over my shirt.  
"Hey, I thought this was a death match, not a strip tease," Cato teases me.  
"What's the difference?" I ask, throwing in a wink.  
He chuckles at the playful banter as I put my jacket back on. Then, he reaches out his arm and grab my waist. "You got this baby," he says, giving me a kiss on the mouth. I return the favor. "Make 'em proud."  
"I will, don't worry."  
"I'm not." He winks and grabs his sword and a spear. "I'll see you in a few minutes."  
"See you," I say, starting along the path to the Cornucopia. Cato trails a couple yards behind me for a few minutes. Then he holds back and I lose him.

*****

The Cornucopia is a beautiful sight. In front of it, there is a marble table with four identical bags on it in a row - one for each remaining District. One question lingered in my mind: Cato and I had this game in the bag. What did we need?  
I scope the area around me. All four bags are there, so no one's come to claim their treasure. But there was no sign of twelve. In fact, there was no sign of anyone.  
As soon as I finish that thought, I see a dash of red bolt across the clearing, and the girl from District five claims her bag. I flirt for a moment of going after - hey, one more tribute down - , but I decide not to. I wasn't here for five. I was here for twelve. Besides, by now, she was already safely back in the woods.  
There was no movement after that for at least a solid two minutes. I started to consider just going for my bag ,or leaving the site, but I knew what I came here for and I wasn't about to pass up my opportunity.  
Then finally, she came.  
She darted out through the towards the bench. i begin to creep to the edge of the bushes and a little bit into the clearing. She disappears behind the mouth of the Cornucopia - fortunately for me, in my direction - and I know I only have a few seconds, so I take my chance.  
I run out as far into the open as I can, readying one of my best throwing knives. As soon as I see the silver glint of her bow, I stop running and get into a throwing stance.  
As soon as I see her round the corner, I throw. She has just enough time for her brain to register me before my blade hits her in the head and knocks her off her feet. I start to run towards her as fast as my feet will take me. Unfortunately, Katniss has reflexes, and quickly gets up and grabs her bow. She strings it and shoots at me, but I dodge it, still running. She goes to string it again, but I charge into her before she can shoot at me again. I wasn't insanely heavy, even compared to Katniss, but I hit her with such great force that we both fall over, obviously with me in control. We roll around for a bit, and I take out a larger, serrated knife, so that when I end up straddling her, I can take a clean stab.  
She dodges. Great. Welp, better show. To hopefully catch her off guard, I roll over her again. This goes on for what feels like ten minutes, but was probably only ten seconds. Eventually, I am on top of her again, with a stronger straddle and my knife at her throat. I promised a good show, and they were gonna get one.  
She stopped fighting.  
"Where's your boyfriend, District twelve? Still hanging on?" I taunt.  
"He's out there now. Hunting Cato," she snarls. "Peeta!" she shouts.  
I jam my fist into her windpipe, but I can't help checking the area. I know she's bluffing, but what if she isn't?  
"Liar," I say, putting my evil facade back on. "He's nearly dead. Cato knows where he cut him. You've probably got him strapped up in some tree while you try to keep his heart going." The nervous look that flashes across her face confirms to me that I caught her bluff. "What's in the pretty little backpack? That medicine for Lover Boy? Too bad he'll never get it!" I sneer. "I promised Cato if he let me have you, I'd give the audience a good show." I open up my jacket, revealing my vest. Her eyes widen in fear. "We're gonna kill you," I continue. "Just like we did your pathetic little ally... What was her name, Rue?" Katniss writhes at the mention of Rue's name, and I know I had just hit a soft spot. "Well, first Rue, then you, and I think we'll just let nature take care of Lover Boy. How does that sound? Now..." I pause for dramatic effect, examining her face. "Where to start?" I carelessly wipe the blood from her mouth, and then top her head back and forth. Katniss then lifts her head quickly, in an attempt to bite my hand, but I grab her hair quicker and slam her head back where it came from.  
I pull out my tiny carving knife and touch it to her mouth. "I think we'll start with your mouth." I teasingly trace the outline of her lips. "Yes, I don't think you'll have much use for your lips anymore. Want to blow Lover Boy one last kiss?" I goad, greatly enjoying myself. I know for a fact that everyone at home is watching intensely, waiting.  
Suddenly, my face is wet with a warm spray that I know must be blood and saliva. I am enraged, but I know this is just what they want to see.  
"All right then. Let's get started!" I quickly push the tip of the blade into her upper lip.  
I have not gotten so far as the first incision when I feel a slap on the back, and a great force pulls me off of Katniss. For a second I think it's Cato, but then I find myself looking into the angry eyes of Eleven. On any other occasion, I could take him out easily, but he was so full of adrenaline that my tiny self stood no fighting chance against this massive boy. I am going to have to find another way out of this one.  
Next thing I knew, I was spiraling upside-down, then hit the ground hared. My mind starts reeling through ideas of how to get out of this. Kill him? Distract him? Run for it? Each one is as bad as the last.


	23. Chapter 23

"What'd you do to that little girl?" eleven booms. "You kill her?" He towers over me, stepping closer.  
I scramble backward, panting. "No! No, it wasn't me!" I reply truthfully. He didn't have any weapons, did he? He didn't appear to have any. An image of Cato snapping Three's neck flashes briefly through my mind, and my heart skips a beat.  
"You said her name. I heard you. You kill her?" he booms. "You cut her up like you were going to cut up this girl here?"  
I glance over at Katniss, who is in the exact same spot, staring at the back of eleven in shock. "No! No, I - " as I look back to eleven, I see it: a rock the size of a loaf of bread. I can't take it anymore. I shout the first thing that comes to mind. "Cato! Cato!!"  
"Clove!" He sounded far away. Then again, my entire body was pumping twice as much blood as normal, pulsing in fear.  
I watch Eleven lift his arm in slow-motion, take a step forward, and then bring the rock down on my head.  
I collapse onto the ground, a massive headache already having started. My breath came in short heaves.  
I hear Eleven say something to Twelve. "What'd she mean? About Rue being your ally?"  
"I - I - We teamed up. Blew up the supplies. I tried to save her, I did. But he got there first, District One."  
"And you killed him?"  
"Yes, I killed him." That's it! I can't do anything about it. I'm sorry, Marvel. "And buried her in flowers. And I sang her to sleep."  
"To sleep?"  
"To death. I sang until she died. Your district... they send me bread. Do it fast, okay, Thresh?"  
"Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we're even then. No more owed. You understand?"  
"Clove!" Despite everything slowly getting hazier, I can tell Cato is at the clearing.  
"You better run now, Fire Girl," Thresh says.  
I hear Cato's thundering footsteps getting closer. Yet he completely disregards Thresh and Katniss, and I hear his spear clatter on the grass as he plunks down next to me on his knees.  
"Clove. Clove, stay with me!" he cries, tucking his hand underneath my neck and cradling me. I can see him, hear him, but I can't say anything. My breaths become shorter with each inhale-exhale.  
Cato must realize this because he starts to choke. "Clo - Cl - No! No! Don't leave me! Don't le - !" I feel his forehead collapse on my chest, quickly spasming with his hysterical sobs. "Clove," he whispers.  
I want to tell him it's okay. To let me go. That he has to win and go home. I am still alive. I know Cato knows because he feels the short rise and fall of my chest.  
I realize now that it was inevitable. That despite my skill, I could never have made it. Even with the new rule. They were bullshitting us from the start. They never would have allowed two victors. It was all for their stupid little show. And now here I am, a fifteen-year-old girl dying not at the hands of Thresh, but of the Capital.  
By now, I am barely breathing. I'm pretty sure my eyes are still open, but everything is starting to turn all bright and out of focus. Cato senses the decrease in breath and I feel him lift hi s head from my chest and cup my chin. I can no longer see of breathe, but I can still hear his voice softly fading into the distance.  
"No, Clove, no! I love you. I need you."  
Boom!


	24. Chapter 24

"What'd you do to that little girl?" eleven booms. "You kill her?" He towers over me, stepping closer.  
I scramble backward, panting. "No! No, it wasn't me!" I reply truthfully. He didn't have any weapons, did he? He didn't appear to have any. An image of Cato snapping Three's neck flashes briefly through my mind, and my heart skips a beat.  
"You said her name. I heard you. You kill her?" he booms. "You cut her up like you were going to cut up this girl here?"  
I glance over at Katniss, who is in the exact same spot, staring at the back of eleven in shock. "No! No, I - " as I look back to eleven, I see it: a rock the size of a loaf of bread. I can't take it anymore. I shout the first thing that comes to mind. "Cato! Cato!!"  
"Clove!" He sounded far away. Then again, my entire body was pumping twice as much blood as normal, pulsing in fear.  
I watch Eleven lift his arm in slow-motion, take a step forward, and then topple to the ground. I see a flash of maroon behind his dark skin.  
I get my bearings and scramble to my feet as the two figures fight it out on the ground. Next thing I knew, Cato was straddling Eleven, similar to how I had straddled Katniss, enraged. His spear was lifted above his head and he screamed, "Fuck you!!!", plunging it into eleven's torso. He stuck it down till I'm sure the tip was in the dirt, and then rotated it twice, his veins bulging. He remains sitting on Eleven's now-lifeless body for a few seconds. As soon as I start to see him move, I reach for the table and grab our bag, and twelve's too; Katniss is still on the ground in shock.  
"Come on!" Cato grunts grabbing my arm. We ran for our camp, leaving the spear behind, and not stopping until we'd reached our shelter.  
I barely have time to drop the bags before Cato grabs me and nearly strangles me in a hug. We finally catch our breath in each others' embrace. Cato grabs the back of my head and tips it down, kissing the top of my head. "I told you I wouldn't let anyone hurt you." He did not let go. Then again, I'm not sure I wanted him to.  
"She's still alive," he says. "Twelve. She's got the bag, she can heal him."  
"Not necessarily," I say, grinning. Cato looks confused. I reach down and grab twelve's bag, wiggling it in front of his face.  
"Oh my god!" He grabbed it, as if he didn't believe it was real. "Clove, you're a genius!" He rips open the bag and pulls out a small can. He unscrews the top and sniffs the contents. "Yup. Medicine." He puts the top back on. "Welp, looks like we won't be needing that." He starts to toss it behind him.  
"Wait!" I hold out my hand and he pauses. "You never know if one of us will need that."  
He doesn't say anything, but I know he knows I'm right. "So what's in ours?" He nods to the District 2 bag.  
"It's kinda heavy compared to twelve's," I say, weighing it in my hands. "REALLY heavy."  
"Open it."  
I do. "It looks like... armor." I pull out thin pieces of molded metal - thin and pliant, but durable.  
"What the hell do we need that for?" Cato asks.  
"No clue, but they clearly want us to win. I mean, they gave twelve MEDICINE." I hand Cato the larger set and he starts to take off his shirt. "Hey, I thought this wasn't a strip tease," I goof.  
"Oh shut up." But even he laughs a little.  
I take off my own shirt and slip on the armor. It's so light that I have to knock on my stomach to make sure it's there.  
"You can hardly feel a thing," I swoon.  
"We're practically immortal!" Cato muses.  
We laugh a little, but slowly come to a stop as he reaches for my waist. "We could win."  
"What if these weren't meant to be for the other tributes?" I ask as a wind chill blows through the arena.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean, we were already nearly immortal. What if the Capital came up with something bigger and better than all of us? Some grande finale? To kill us all."  
Boom!  
We both jump for the first time after a cannon. My hands instinctively go to Cato's waist, and his to mine.   
"It's okay." I can fee his voice vibrate in his chest. "It was either five or twelve. We're getting close."  
I nod, but stay there for a while, pressed against his chest. Who knows how much longer I'd be able to stay there? Cato shows no interest in letting go.  
I hear something rumble from deep within Cato's stomach. "You hungry?" I tease.  
"A bit," he responds, letting go. "Ah shit! We're out of food!"  
I sigh "How many rabbits are we gonna go through before we can leave?"  
"Clearly more than we already - what the hell?"  
We look around. It is getting dark quickly. "The sun's only been up for like, four hours."  
"Oh well. We still need food." He grabs his sword, and I my knives. Cato puffs out some air. "Woo. Let's go hunt some rabbit."  
Something his me suddenly from behind, knocking me off my feet. "Aah!" I cry trying to flip over and take out my knife at the same time. "Cato!"  
"Clove!" he cries. Something is on me. I feel it clawing and biting, so I instinctively cover my face. The blows hurt, but I am not bleeding. The armor, I remind myself.   
The beast on top of me falls limp. Cato quickly pushes it off of me and pulls out his sword. He grabs my hand and yanks me up as I scramble to my feet. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah.' I feel my face bleeding slightly, but there is no time to patch up minor wounds. "What was that?"  
"Some Capital mutation," he pants. The bushes rustle in the distance. I could swear I heard a growl. "Come on, go!" He pushes me forward a little violently and we start running as I hear another mutt jump out behind us.  
I somehow make it in front of Cato as we bolt through the trees. I can see the clearing. There's the Cornucopia! We're almost there -  
"Clove!"  
I whip around. A mutt has attacked Cato . He is on his feet, fending it off, but he won't be able to for much longer. I pull out a small knife and throw it without thinking. For a moment after I released it, I thought I might have hit Cato, but then the mutt stumbles back. Cato starts to run. I reach out my hand for him and he grabs it.  
We break into the clearing. "There!" I cry, pointing to the Cornucopia. In that split second we were stopped, I hear the mutts' growls and footsteps thundering closer. "Go!" We bolt as fast as we could across the field.  
I slam my hands on the Cornucopia as soon as I reach it, and I see Cato stretch out his hands at about waist-high. I step into the cradle and he hoists me up. I lift myself up onto the top of the horn and quickly turn around to help Cato up.  
As I grab his hand, I look into the distance and see that the mutts have already made it into the clearing. "Come on!" I pull faster, and he makes it up just as the mutts reach the Cornucopia.  
As Cato gets his bearings, I take in the mutts below us. They are like huge dog-wolf hybrids of all different colors. One at the front has a blonds mane that would've been beautiful had it not been trying to eat us. There is a puncture wound in its side with a piece of metal sticking out, glinting in the moonlight. I recognize this one as the mutt that had attacked Cato.  
There is another one next to it, whose mane is a little shorter and more golden, tainted only by the large stab wound on its back. It glares at me as it jumps, trying to get a grip on the metal wall.  
"I killed that thing!" Cato cries. "How is it still alive!?"  
But I pay no attention to Cato's words. I see the eyes of the mutt that had attacked me. They are an unmistakable shade of blue-green. My heart skips a beat and my breath catches in my throat.   
"It's him," I say.  
"What? Who's him?" Cato spouts.  
I just point at the mutt. "It's Marvel."  
Cato stops in realization. "And that one next to it, that's Glimmer." Those green eyes taunted me.  
"Holy shit," he breathed.  
Suddenly, something clamors behind us and we whip around. Something - or someone - is climbing onto the Cornucopia. I see a silver bow and know for a fact that it is Katniss.  
I am about to make a move when I see a streak of red. Next thing I know, I am facing the girl from five. She has no weapons - she is defenseless.  
A huge surge of anger suddenly rushes over me and for a split second I debate if killing her right now would be fair. But I don't have a choice. Not if I want to go home.  
I pull out my knife and plunge it into her stomach with such rage that I feel my fist jam into her as well. I pull out and don't hesitate to shove her over the edge.  
Boom!  
Whoosh!  
An arrow whizzes past my ear. "Oh no you don't!" Cato booms, bolting towards Katniss. She already has another arrow ready and shoots him in the chest, but it bounces off lamely.  
An expression of fear crosses her face, and then, he tackles her.  
As much as I want to partake in this, I can see that Cato's got it for now. I know Katniss will put up a good fight. I know I'll be needed later.  
As if on cue, Katniss throws a punch to Cato's face, knocking him back. She stands up and readies another arrow, but I have thrown a knife before she could shoot. I hit her right in the arm - her shooting arm. Yes!  
Katniss struggles to pull herself together, giving me enough time to throw another knife into her stomach.  
Cato grips his sword tightly. "Hold her."  
I nod and run over to Katniss, grabbing her neck and waist before she even knew what was happening.  
When she sees Cato standing with his sword a few feet away, she loses it. "No! Peeta! Gale!"  
"If you don't shut up now, I might kill you!" I growl, tightening my grip on her neck and cutting off her voice.  
Cato walks up to her, all bloody in the face and hands. Even I'm a little bit scared. "You've been burning long enough fire girl."  
My grip on her is so tight that she is forced to stare at him motionlessly.   
"And I think I've had enough." He pauses. "How's Lover Boy? Oh right, he's dead. Yeah, you can thank us for that. My strength and Clove's brains. Wow, if it wasn't the two of us representing two, he might still be alive. You might have already won. Funny how changing one little thing affects the entire universe, isn't it?"  
Funny.  
Katniss starts to struggle, trying to hit her hands against me. I simply tighten my grip even more.  
"Unfortunately for you, Clove and I are here, and it's not looking too good for you sweetheart. What's she gonna think, huh? Your sister? When you return home in a body bag instead of a train!" Now she's really struggling. "Well let's find out." He quickly stabs the sword into her chest, and slowly pushes the rest in all the way, twisting it the same way he twisted his spear in Thresh.  
She screams against my grip, the blood-curdling shrieks rocking the otherwise silent night.  
Cato pulls it out quickly. "Will you shut up!?" He slices his sword across her throat, cutting off her voice. "A'ight Clove, do the honors."  
I let go of her and give her a gentle shove, sending her tumbling down to the mutts. In less than a minute, I hear the final cannon.  
Boom!  
Cato and I drop our weapons and share a long embrace as the Capital brings the sun up and the growling of the mutts fades into the distance.  
"Ladies and gentlemen," Claudius Templesmith says, "the winners of the 74th annual Hunger Games."  
A huge gust of wind comes, and Cato and I look up to see the hovercraft descending near us. "We did it!" he gasps in disbelief.  
A ramp slides out, and we take each others' hands, walking up together.  
We were greeted at the top by Enobaria, who was clad in a golden-brown semi-formal gown and matching pumps. Brutus was behind her, cleaned up in a simple suit.  
Enobaria stretches her arms out and pulls me into an embrace."You did it Clove! i'm so proud of you." She gives Cato one too. Brutus shakes our hands gruffly.  
"Come on, let's go to the table - "  
"Enobaria, they may be conscious but they still need to be patched up," a man says from behind her. He is wearing pure white scrubs. "C'mon," he beckons me and Cato. We follow him.  
"I'm sorry but we have to separate you two. You'll see each other in a few hours." He guides me into a painfully white room and gestures me to the medical bed, which I lay on.  
"Now," he says, examining me. "Your wounds aren't terribly severe, but I think I'm still going to put you under so it will be painless, okay?" I nod. "Okay, a few seconds," he reaches for a mask and puts it on my mouth and nose, "and you won't feel a thing."


	25. Chapter 25

Cato and sit together on the couch around the huge coffee table where Enobaria, Brutus, Iberis, Lartius, and Claudria were also sitting.  
"I was surprised they let it happen," Lartius comments, sipping his drink.  
"What?" Claudria asks.  
"Letting them both win." Yeah, why DID they let it happen? We all look to Brutus and Enobaria.  
"They originally made the rule change for DIstrict twelve," Brutus says.  
"Why?" I ask without thinking.  
"Snow has wanted that girl dead ever since she was reaped. He saw that she wasn't going any time soon, so he took advantage of what the boy had said in his interview. If two lovers could win, they would gain audience support - sponsors to keep them alive until the final showdown," Brutus explains. "The audiences only want a good show. So if it was just them in the final showdown, they would revoke the rule and an epic showdown would go down. It was all a rouse to get Katniss dead. But, you took care of that. The Capital never had a problem with you. Now that you've killed the girl on fire, Snow loves you.. He decided to let it slide just this once in return for his gratitude. You'd better thank him when he crowns you."  
"So if WE hadn't killed her, only one of us would be sitting here?" Cato asks.   
"Yes."  
"Bullshit. We didn't even win then!" he shouts, enraged. "If anyone thinks I'm going to praise Snow because of her - "  
"Cato, I don't care what you think! None of them do!" Brutus interferes. "Look, Snow's got some nasty tricks up his sleeve. Think whatever you like, but if you're out there on camera, you act like President Snow is your best friend. He could end your life just as quick as you ended the boy from Three's, even after you've won the Games. Let me tell you something: the Games never end. You may have made it out of the arena, but now you've got he interviews, the victory tour, and you will be the mentors for next year, and the year after that, and the year after that until there is a new victor from two. These 'games' are far from over."  
Cato does not respond.  
"So what do you want us to do?" I ask softly.  
"You need to have that District 2 attitude. That you are honored to have won the Games - not with your lover, but with your District partner. Because of Snow's generosity, you have now brought double the honor to Two, a debt you'll never be able to repay."  
"And what if our relationship comes up, huh?" Cato prompts. "What then?"  
"Then you tell them it was an act to get sponsors to win. Do whatever you want behind the scenes but like I said, on camera, it's all about the honor, and the Capital. Got it?"

*****

Not six hours later, I am dressed in a tight knee-length white dress with my hair all done up similar, but better than what it was before the Games. Cato is in a black suit that glints red at certain angles. It really compliments his figure.  
We stand backstage while we wait for the interview to begin, Cato's arm around me.  
He sighs. "This is is, huh."  
"We can go home after this," I say. "Just a few more hours.  
"Brutus and Enobaria are out there watching."   
"We just have to remember what they told us."  
He looks at me as the lights come up and Caesar's music starts.  
"Welcome! Welcome welcome! To the seventy-fourth Hunger Games!" Caesar cries excitedly.  
Cato takes his hand off of my waist. "Let's give 'em a show."  
"Please welcome Clove Kentwell!" I strut onstage, smiling and waving to the cheering audience. Caesar outstretches his arms, and I accept his hug. "Lovely, absolutely gorgeous," he says. He beckons to the white saucer chair closest to him. "Com, sit." I sit. "You look absolutely stunning, Clove, great to see you again!"  
I smile. "Thank you Caesar, it's nice to see you too."  
He does his trademark laugh. "Ha ha ha, always the charmer, yes yes. Now, let's welcome our second victor, Mr. Cato Hadley!"  
The crowd goes wild as Cato enters, waving seriously. Caesar reaches out his hand and they shake. "And that one's yours." He gestures to the second chair. "Well Cato, you're looking sharp tonight."  
"Thank you Caesar."  
Caesar holds up his hand to silence the crowd. "Now, I believe a congratulations is in order." He and the rest of the audience applaud. Cato and I exchange a glance. I smile with pursed lips, but he sustains his serious demeanor.  
"Okay okay okay, but seriously. I'm sure you already know but in this interview I will be questioning you about your time during the Games. Let's get started shall we. Cato."  
"Yes sir."  
"You teamed up with Peeta."  
"Yes."  
"Well, he's just about as far from a career as you can get. So um, why?"  
"You see Caesar, all of us wanted Katniss dead. When he announced his love for her on this very stage, I knew he would be my path to her."  
"And he was."  
"Yes."  
"Excellent. Now Clove, how did you feel when Cato saved you from drowning?"  
No romance. No romance. "I - I couldn't thank him more. I mean, he saved my life. I don't think I could ever repay him for that." The audience awed. Shit. No romance! I'll save it next question. Next question.  
"Touching. Now, I want to dig deep down into your private lives because that's what we do her, right folks?" The audience cheered and Caesar chortled. This wasn't going to end well. "So Cato. You and Glimmer, eh? Eh?" He wiggles his eyebrows and makes a jabbing motion with his elbow towards Cato.  
"What about her?"  
"Oh you stubborn. Give me the details on your relationship. I want all the juice."  
Cato sighs and puts his forehead in his hand, shaking it. He looks up and takes a deep breath. "There was nothing between us, I'm sorry. She liked me but I just wanted to win. Look where that got me."  
"Right where you wanted."  
Cato nods. "Yep."  
"And Clove, I must ask you the same about Marvel. Hopefully you'll give us something better than this brick wall here." He laughs.  
I chuckle. "Well, fortunately for you, I CAN give you more. But anyone who watched the Games could tell you how Marvel and I felt about each other. Are you sure you even watched Caesar?"  
"Oh I'm quite sure," he laughs.  
"Marvel and I were good friends, brought together by this fate. I'm sorry to say that nothing more happened between us."  
"Well Clove, that's exactly the answer I was hoping for. Because now I can ask this of the both of you: what's going on between you two?"  
Nether of us says anything, but then Cato speaks.  
"I think I speak for both Clove and I when I say we were extremely honored to represent two right from the reaping. We put up an act to get sponsors, obviously. But in the moment with all that adrenaline, things do happen."  
"Ah yes, those raging teen hormones!" Caesar cracks the audience, but mostly himself, up.  
"And when they made the victor announcement - "  
"You just lost it."  
"Yes sir."  
"Okay okay, Clove, what do you have to say about this, you don't have to agree with him."  
"Unfortunately Caesar, I have to agree. There was nothing more than friendship between me and Cato, but I think it paid off in the end."  
"Indeed, indeed. So now, the annual final question: any final words you wish to say to the fans here and at home?"  
"Well we would both like to thank President Snow and the Gamemakers for this incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience. We both came here ten days ago expecting one of us to make it out. I don't think any of us could have foreseen us bringing home two times the honor that anyone has every brought home in history," I say, smiling pathetically at the audience.  
"Oh well yes, of course, President Snow knows pretty darn well what he's doing, as usual," Caesar chuckles. "Thank you Clove and Cato from District two, this year's victors of the seventy fourth annual Hunger Games!"  
The audience goes wild as Cato and I stand, giving a little bow.  
"Thank you for joinng me tonight, congratulations," Caesar whispers to us.  
"Our pleasure," Cato nods. We exit the stage, where we are joined by Iberis.  
"Come on you guys, no time to dawdle." She shoves us gently from behind. "You can relax after the crowning."

*****

Not half an hour after the interview, Cato and I were standing in front of a much bigger crowd, but more importantly, the President himself.  
Snow reaches for the first golden crown - my crown - and approaches me.  
"Congratulations," he smiles creepily, gently placing the tiara on my head. "Promise me no trouble and I'll let you live," he whispers cruelly. I nod curtly.  
Then he goes to Cato. Same routine: 'congratulations', crown, whisper. Snow was scared. He hid it very well, but he was scared that his exception to the rules would lead to some sort of uprising. Don't worry Snow, Cato and I are happy just the way things are.


	26. Chapter 26

After the crowning, Cato and I are whisked away to one final dressing room - to take off the outfits and take down the hair, in exchange for something more casual. I do not see him again until we are on the train.  
I am sitting on the bed in my compartment, not really thinking about anything when the door slides open. I turn around to see Cato. "Hey."  
"Hey... Can I come in?"  
"'course." He sits next to me.  
"How are you?"  
"I'm all right."  
"We're going home, huh."  
"Seems kind of weird."  
"It does, doesn't it?" He puts his arm around me.  
I look at Cato. "Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"For everything. I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for you."  
"What do you mean?" he looked at me curiously.  
"You saved my life three times in there," I explain. "Well, four, when you volunteered. You must really care."  
"Clove!" he gasps. "Of course I care! You know that."  
"I know, it's just, the way we had to act for the interview and all, I didn't know if maybe you WERE acting."  
"Oh, Clove." He puts his other arm around me, resulting in a gentle hug. "It wasn't an act." He plants a kiss gently on my forehead.  
Neither of us showed any interest in moving, so I just stayed in Cato's arms all the way back to District 2.


	27. Chapter 27

Dear Diary, June 8, 74 ADD

When Cato and I first found out we were going into the Games, we were excited, bloodthirsty. We were brainwashed. Not only by the Capital but by our own District. Ever since we were children, we had been taught that there was no greater honor than winning the Hunger Games. We now know that is not true. Everyone, even the Careers, are just pawns in President Snow's little game. There is never a winner - only survivors. If it hadn't been for Katniss and Peeta, we wouldn't be riding back to two - we'd be dead. No - the greatest honor in the world is finding your other half. Ironically, I wouldn't have found Cato if it hadn't been for this suicide mission. But now that I have him, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  
Thank you diary  
Love, Clover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thank you for putting up with me, and for taking the time to read my story. I was thinking about writing a sequel. Please comment below if you would be interested in reading one. Love you all! <3<3


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